Patriarchy, feminism and gender constructions in speculative fiction The Handmaid´s Tale

Abstract

The present essay aims to give an account of the approaches made in The Handmaid´s tale TV series (Hulu, 2017) in relation to feminism, the patriarchal system and its vision regarding gender constructions. We assume that these approaches are a questioning of the patriarchal system and the series is one of television´s fiction examples in which the connection between art and politics is evident, because, as Ana María Pérez (2013) suggests, “the artistic manifestations are political, since they suppose a disagreement, a confrontation with the sensitive reality partitions. The great power of subversion that these aesthetic experiences possess in general is their capability to amplify the subjects, the objects and the adequate spaces for debate, creating new scenarios for politics” (p. 196). In the present case, we consider this fiction an artistic manifestation that, in addition to offering entertainment options, makes approaches that underline important problems of occidental culture and, due to its massive diffusion possibilities, is a space that enables reflection and debate around current political issues.