Episode 4: The Handmaid's Tale

Radio Free Dystopia

Is Hulu's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale feminist? Hell yes! But it's also a story about patriarchy, misogyny and a society built around state-sanctioned rape. Toby and Meg get help exploring these themes and others from Dr. Robin Hackett, an associate professor of English and Women's Studies at the University of New Hampshire. Robin's specialities include literary modernism, Virginia Woolf, feminist theory, queer theory and LGBTQ literature - so she's pretty much the perfect guest host.

We also talk a little about the often-overlooked 1990 film adaptation and get additional insights via emails from listeners Mary, D'Anne, Cameron and Laurie.

Also: Toby gets in a fight with his microphone, Meg runs through the first-ever Fact Check Edition of The News from Dystopia, and Robin recommends we all read Swastika Night by Katharine Burdekin. #handmaidstale, #feminism, #dystopia