The main themes in both Top Girls and The Handmaid’s Tale are feminism, politics and women’s role in society. Top Girls is based on social realism and political drama. Churchill once said “Playwrights don’t give answers, they ask questions”.[1] It could be said that Churchill is asking the audience to acknowledge how much a woman has to sacrifice in order to succeed in the stereotypically male dominant workplace. However, it could also be said that she could be asking the audience to acknowledge how career power is perceived as a male trait and therefore successful career women have to adopt male attitudes. The Handmaid’s Tale, however, is a dystopian novel. Ostensibly it is a critique of a patriarchal society or it could also be said to
However, another way of looking at it, is that by her response to her sister about Angie, she gives off the impression that children are possessions and the mentality of owning and giving away could be portrayed here as she did not want Angie however she is now claiming that Angie was hers.
Some could say that Serena Joy almost did the opposite of Marlene as she gave up her career to have a family, however others could point out that she only lost her career through no fault but her own. This was done due to the fact she preached for what caused her to lose her career and status in the first place. It could be said that she gives the impression of regretting using her socially accepted status and very vocal approach to society to get her views heard; although she preached for family lifestyles to be brought back, she lost out on the lifestyle that gave her power. However, it could be said that she in fact had no power, she was just what some would see as an icon due to her success in the soprano. Atwood writes “she stays in her home, but it doesn’t seem to agree with her” which indicates that from Offred’s observations of Serena Joy, she is not happy with the new way that her society is run and more than likely regrets having such views that caused this change. She also embodies many hypocritical