Thesis Proposal

In the book, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” much attention is paid to how the handmaids are made to dress. In a society of religious imperialism, the clothing of those who chose, or are forced, to follow their rules is drastically altered. The clothing worn by the handmaids carry with them an associated shame, as well as a means of restraint. For my research paper, I intend to delve into the topic of religious dress, and more specifically how Margaret Atwood is satirizing the use of restrictive dress by some religious sects as a means of submitting and controlling their women.
Through the ages, religions have had a strong influence on how men and women dress. There are many religions now that require that women to dress a particular way in order to be in accordance. Some are minor, such as keeping the hair long, and some are major, such as a full body shroud that completely covers a woman and isolates her from the world around her. Some of these rules are for modesty, or practicality, and some of these rules are meant to isolate women while at the same time drawing attention to them, so as to point out their existence and warn the rest of the world to stay away. Some theoretical examples of these types of clothing can be found here.
When I first started reading this book, I did not recognize that it was a satire. I had always associated satire with comedy, but that really is not always true. I believe that exploring this topic will help me not only get a better understanding of the book, but also give me a better understanding of satire, and Atwood’s use of it. Exploring the darker side of satire will help me broaden my horizons.