Foucaultian reading of Panopticon and anticapitalism in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood’s (1939) The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) presents a dystopian society, Gilead, where surveillance and oppression are institutionalized. This paper offers a Foucaultian reading of the novel, examining how the panoptic mechanism disciplines and controls individuals, particularly women, under a theocratic regime. Michel Foucault’s concept of the panopticon elucidates the pervasive surveillance in Gilead, where constant observation ensures subjugation and internalized obedience. The Handmaids, stripped of autonomy, become self-regulating subjects under the ever-watchful eye of the state, mirroring Foucault’s analysis of power and discipline in modern institutions. Additionally, the novel critiques capitalism by exposing its collapse and replacement with a totalitarian system that commodifies women’s bodies, reducing them to reproductive instruments. Atwood’s depiction of economic exploitation aligns with anticapitalist discourse, revealing how capitalist structures can evolve into oppressive regimes under authoritarian rule. Through a Foucauldian lens, this study highlights the intersections of surveillance, biopolitics, and resistance in The Handmaid’s Tale, emphasizing its relevance to contemporary discussions on power, gender, and economic inequality.

کلیدواژه ها:

Foucault ، panopticon ، anticapitalism ، surveillance ، biopolitics ،