Super Short Summary

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood, is set in a dystopian future where the protagonist, Offred, serves as a Handmaid in the repressive theocracy known as the Republic of Gilead. Offred is forced to bear children for the ruling class and recounts her daily life alongside memories of her past before the regime's rise. The narrative explores her interactions with the Commander, his Wife Serena Joy, and figures like Nick and her fellow Handmaids while subtly uncovering a resistance movement against the theocratic rule. The story reveals Offred's struggle for autonomy and identity in a society that severely restricts women's rights and freedoms. The plot includes instances and discussions of misogyny, abuse, rape, assault, and suicide.