At 85, literary titan Margaret Atwood continues to defy expectations, recently honored with the Eleanor Roosevelt Bravery in Literature Lifetime Achievement Award for her unwavering voice against censorship and her profound impact on modern literature, most notably with her prescient dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid’s Tale.
In a world increasingly grappling with questions of freedom and control, the voice of Margaret Atwood rings louder than ever. At 85 years young, the celebrated author, best known for her chillingly prescient novel The Handmaid’s Tale, recently accepted the esteemed Eleanor Roosevelt Bravery in Literature Lifetime Achievement Award. This recognition underscores not only her monumental contribution to literature but also her steadfast commitment to free expression in the face of growing censorship.
A Lifetime of Literary Bravery Recognized
The award ceremony, held on October 11 at the Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, saw Atwood honored by the Eleanor Roosevelt Center and PEN America. This particular accolade celebrates authors who bravely speak their minds, regardless of potential repercussions—a description that perfectly encapsulates Atwood’s career. As she reflected during her acceptance, for her generation, Eleanor Roosevelt was indeed a “towering figure,” a sentiment that resonates deeply with Atwood’s own legacy of challenging societal norms.
The timing of this recognition is particularly poignant, as Atwood is currently identified by People as one of the most frequently banned writers in the United States. This reality fuels her commentary on censorship, which she views with her characteristic blend of sharp insight and humor. Atwood asserts that “book banning happens when people are feeling angry, and they feel somebody has to be blamed for something,” further describing such acts as “a power grab on behalf of a certain group of people who want to demonstrate their dominance by squashing other people underfoot.” Her memorable punchline, “I think they should take up knitting, you know?”, perfectly highlights her refusal to be silenced or intimidated, even when receiving unusual fan mail or threats.
The Enduring Resonance of The Handmaid’s Tale
First published in 1985, The Handmaid’s Tale introduced readers to the terrifying Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian theocracy established in the former United States. In this grim future, environmental collapse and plummeting fertility rates lead to the violent subjugation of women, with fertile individuals, known as Handmaids, forced into reproductive servitude. The novel follows Offred as she navigates this brutal society, stripped of her bodily autonomy and individual identity. Its themes of oppression, control, religious extremism, and the weaponization of female bodies have remained chillingly relevant, transforming it from a dystopian fiction into a prophetic warning.
Atwood has always maintained that the horrifying events depicted in her novel are not mere inventions. Instead, they are drawn from “the darkest chapters in world history,” a fact she extensively documented in her archives at the University of Toronto. Her research, which predated the internet, involved meticulous collection of newspaper clippings and historical accounts from disparate sources, including:
- Ceaușescu’s Romania and its draconian laws forcing women to have children, leading to overflowing orphanages.
- Battles over female rights in 1980s America, with conservatives targeting birth control and women’s movements.
- Headlines about chemicals affecting fertility, reflecting the environmental crisis in Gilead.
- Discussions around “birth dearth” myths and nationalistic calls for increased reproduction.
- The rise of the religious right and white supremacist movements in the US during the 1980s.
- Historical precedents for social control, such as Nazi Germany’s Lebensborn program and certain interpretations of polygamy.
This grounding in historical realities is what gives Gilead its chilling verisimilitude and why, as Atwood famously put it, “nothing goes in that there isn’t backup for.”
A Masterclass in World-Building and Thematic Depth
Critics and fans alike laud The Handmaid’s Tale for its unparalleled world-building and profound thematic development. Atwood’s attention to detail brings Gilead to life, from its strict class structure—including Wives, Marthas, and Handmaids—to its chilling public executions, reminiscent of the French Revolution, and its unique cultural affirmations like “Praise Be!” The novel expertly explores the dangers of political religious extremism, demonstrating how faith can be twisted to justify profound brutality and control, without becoming anti-religious itself.
The psychological depth of characters like Serena Joy, the Commander’s wife, further enriches the narrative. Once an evangelical media figure who advocated for the changes that brought about Gilead, Serena finds herself confined by the very system she helped create. Her journey from malicious vixen to pitiable victim highlights the complex ironies of complicity and the universal impact of oppression.
Beyond Gilead: A Diverse Literary Legacy
Margaret Atwood’s influence extends far beyond The Handmaid’s Tale and its award-winning sequel, The Testaments (2019), which also earned her a Booker Prize. Her prolific writing career, spanning five decades, includes over 50 published works across various genres: novels, short stories, poetry, children’s literature, and non-fiction. Other acclaimed novels include The Edible Woman (1970), Cat’s Eye (1988), Alias Grace (1996), and Oryx and Crake (2003), the first book in her compelling MaddAddam Trilogy. Her novel The Blind Assassin also won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2000, showcasing her versatility and narrative prowess.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in 1939, Atwood received her education from the University of Toronto and Radcliffe College. She has held prominent positions in the literary community, serving as president of the Writers’ Union of Canada and of PEN International’s Canadian Centre (English speaking), further cementing her role as an advocate for writers’ rights and free speech. Her works have been translated into over forty languages, demonstrating her global reach and impact.
A Future Unwritten, But Not Unchallenged
Even at 85, Atwood shows no signs of slowing down. Her upcoming memoir, Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts, is slated for release on November 4. With her characteristic wit, she describes it as a reflection on “stupid things you did, catastrophes that occurred, stuff like that.” This continued output reaffirms her enduring vitality and her belief that “the future we get is going to depend partly on what we do in the present.”
As Margaret Atwood continues to be celebrated and, paradoxically, challenged through book bans, her literary courage shines as a beacon. Her unwavering voice, her prescient narratives, and her commitment to truth-telling prove that the power of literature to provoke thought and inspire action remains as vital today as ever before.
