A Comparative Analysis: Hulu's 'The Handmaid's Tale' vs. Margaret Atwood's Book

When it comes to adapting Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, the 2017 Hulu series has taken the narrative in a drastically different direction. This article explores and compares the two, focusing on the quality, entertainment, and thematic depth of each.

Quality and Entertainment

The superior production of the Hulu series offers a much more opulent depiction of Gilead than the original book. In the series, everyone has a roof over their head and an abundance of food and clothing. This contrasts sharply with the grim reality presented in the book, where some Handmaids live on the streets and only service one Commander once a month. In the series, the settings are visually stunning, but they starkly contradict the ugliness of the story.

Another significant difference lies in the acting. The series' exceptional performances bring out numerous interpersonal subtleties that may not have been apparent in the book. For instance, characters like Serena and Aunt Lydia are portrayed as more sympathetic due to the remarkable acting. Seeing these characters in flesh allows a deeper understanding of the temptations faced by simple human contact in a repressive regime.

Historical Context and Technology

The original 1985 book was written when the Internet and social media were nascent technologies. The series, on the other hand, presents a more sophisticated setting where neighboring countries can expose Gilead’s human rights violations through instantaneous viral information. This addition makes for a different and overall more optimistic narrative.

While people aren't constantly monitored through telescreens in the series, the more leisured characters, such as Handmaids and Wives, have ample time to scheme and plot. Despite the regime's restrictions, they can still read, write, and think, leading to more convoluted subplots that highlight the women's cleverness.

Action and Protagonist

A significant change from the book is the increased action and the significant differences in the plot timeline. In the Hulu series, Cora is added to the storyline, and there is a lot more violence. More importantly, Offred's status as a hero is much more prominent in the series compared to Atwood's book. In the original story, Offred is described as a normal woman doing her best to survive. She would never talk back to Aunt Lydia out of fear of retribution. However, the series has transformed her into a more heroic figure, which provides a necessary dramatic element and a protagonist the audience can root for.

Conclusion

Both the book and the series offer compelling narratives, each with its unique strengths and focus areas. While the series takes liberties with the original text for dramatic effect, it also enhances the story in ways that bring a fresh perspective to the hauntingly relevant themes of the original work.

Whether you prefer the deep, dark tones of the book or the visually stunning and emotionally charged television series, both offer insightful explorations of the dystopian world of Gilead and the struggles of its inhabitants.