Due Malice

This study explores the themes of resistance and transformation in the female characters of The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. As a sequel to the Handmaid's Tale, the novel examines how women confront patriarchal oppression within Gilead's rigid hierarchy. Using Michel Foucault's concepts of resistance and transformation, the study analyzes power dynamics and gender values that shape identity in Gilead. It contrasts Gilead's authoritarian system with Canada's culture of freedom, showing how social settings influence self-liberation. Through Aunt Lydia's secret writings, Atwood connects Agnes Jemima, raised in Gilead, and Daisy (Baby Nicole), growing up in Canada. Their shared discovery of identity becomes a catalyst for rebellion and change. Agnes's awakening and Daisy's escape symbolize forms of female resistance that lead to Gilead's downfall, demonstrating how awareness, language, and defiance transform oppression into liberation.

Autorentext

Rushda Talat holds an M.A. and M.Phil. in English Literature. She is a lecturer, researcher, and author of several books with a keen interest in feminist theory and modern fiction. Syed Muhammad Zargham Hameed, is an M.A., M.Phil., and PhD scholar in English Literature, a poet, a researcher, and author with over 25 years of academic experience.