The imprisonment of women: The Handmaid’s Tale in contemporary times

Abstract

This article analyzes, through the bakhtinian method, the TV series The Handmaid’s Tale (2017, 2018, 2019) in comparison with Porta dos Fundos’ sketch Handmaid’s Tale (2019), which makes references to Brazilian politics scenario. This work’s aim is to reflect on: how present the discourse depicted in the TV show is; the value attributed to women and the relation between the TV series and Brazilian society. This paper is based on bakhthinian studies. In order to exemplify the relation between Brazilian society and the TV series, two Instagram posts will be analyzed. This study is justified by its social relevance. The results show how the current Brazilian government intensifies inequality through its patriarchal practices, which are sustained by religious discourses.

Keywords
Bakhtin Circle; gender; patriarchy; art and life; woman