From Gilead to Syria: A Comparative Study of Patriarchal Oppression and Resistance in Margaret Atwood's “The Handmaid's Tale” and Nagham Haider’s “Winter Festivals”

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of Margaret Atwood's concept of feminist dystopia on Nagham Haider's Winter Festivals. The main objective of the research is to explore how Haider's literary works, specifically her Winter Festivals, reflect Atwood's feminist dystopian vision. The study adopts Atwood’s approach of feminist dystopia as represented in The Handmaid's Tale to explore themes of gender oppression, objection of the female body, government control, and patriarchal power structures. In her novel, Haider draws heavily from Atwood's feminist dystopian vision, particularly in her exploration of the intersectional oppression faced by the women during the Syrian Civil War. Haider's novel portrays a society in which women are oppressed and denied agency and autonomy, which is a central concept in Margaret Atwood's feminist dystopia. It can be concluded that Nagham Hayder's Winter Festivals echoes Margaret Atwood's feminist dystopian theory in several ways. Both authors present patriarchal societies where women are oppressed and controlled, with women's bodies commodified and controlled by men. Both novels showcase governments exerting complete control over citizens through surveillance and propaganda. Additionally, they emphasize the significance of women's resistance and solidarity in the face of oppression. Winter Festivals' portrayal of a revolution against the Syrian regime and The Handmaid's Tale's depiction of Handmaid resistance show Hayder's apparent influence from Atwood's feminist dystopian ideas in her writing. Finally, this research contributes to the growing body of scholarship on feminist dystopian literature, shedding light on the global reach and impact of Atwood's vision, as well as the diverse ways in which feminist writers around the world adapt and re-imagine this powerful genre to reflect their unique experiences and perspectives.