The Handmaid’s Tale: Adaptation from Novel to Film and the Divergence in Conveyed Messages

Abstract

This article examines the extent to which the film adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale (1990) preserves the core message of Margaret Atwood’s novel, despite significant changes and omissions. As a seminal work of dystopian fiction, The Handmaid’s Tale delivers a powerful critique of patriarchal oppression and authoritarian control. This study employs a comparative analysis to investigate key discrepancies between the novel and the film, focusing on excluded elements, plot restructuring and thematic shifts. By scrutinizing these modifications, the article demonstrates how the film diminishes the novel’s emotional intensity and critical perspective, ultimately distorting its intended impact. The findings suggest that the adaptation’s alterations result in a less detailed representation of gender, power and resistance, which weakens the novel’s engagement with sociopolitical issues. This study contributes to larger discussions on the fidelity of literary adaptations and their influence on audience interpretation of politically charged narratives.