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Four Feminist Novels by Margaret
Atwood
Helge Normann Nilsen
University of Trondheim
Most of Margaret Atwood's early novels express a clearly feminist message.1 They fall under the category of fiction of protest, though this only rarely diminishes their artistic value. But, like other feminist writers,
Atwood is very much concerned to demonstrate that women are oppressed in Western society and their options severely restricted. There are four novels which deal with this theme successfully: The Edible
Woman (1969), Surfacing (1972), Lady Oracle (1976) and Bodily Harm
(1981).2 The Handmaid's Tale (1983) is the most explicit one in its protest against the mistreatment of women, but in this novel the political message is preached too overtly, reducing its power to persuade. Besides attacking male chauvinism, and modern capitalist society, these novels also describe a quest on the part of the heroines which is basically the same in all the cases. It involves a progress from the old sex role towards a new one, and the essential goal is to achieve self-definitian as a woman.
The Edible Woman describes a young heroine who feels caught in a sex role trap that she must break out of or risk losing her identity and self-respect. The title is significant, suggesting a view of women as objects for someone's pleasure. The protagonist, Marian McAlpin, is engaged to Peter, a young lawyer who expects her to become a conven1 Lecture presented at The Nordic Association for Canadian Studies, Turku, Finland, August 11-15, 1993.
2 Quotations, with page references, are from the following editions: The Edible Woman (London: Andre
Deutsch Ltd., 1969), Surfacing (London: Andre Deutsch Ltd. and Wildwood House, 1972), Lady Oracle (New
York: Avon Books, 1976), and Bodily Harm (London: Jonathan Cape, 1982).
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tional wife. Marian goes along with this to begin with, but gradually realizes that the future that is being planned for her will force her into an
Atwood
Helge Normann Nilsen
University of Trondheim
Most of Margaret Atwood's early novels express a clearly feminist message.1 They fall under the category of fiction of protest, though this only rarely diminishes their artistic value. But, like other feminist writers,
Atwood is very much concerned to demonstrate that women are oppressed in Western society and their options severely restricted. There are four novels which deal with this theme successfully: The Edible
Woman (1969), Surfacing (1972), Lady Oracle (1976) and Bodily Harm
(1981).2 The Handmaid's Tale (1983) is the most explicit one in its protest against the mistreatment of women, but in this novel the political message is preached too overtly, reducing its power to persuade. Besides attacking male chauvinism, and modern capitalist society, these novels also describe a quest on the part of the heroines which is basically the same in all the cases. It involves a progress from the old sex role towards a new one, and the essential goal is to achieve self-definitian as a woman.
The Edible Woman describes a young heroine who feels caught in a sex role trap that she must break out of or risk losing her identity and self-respect. The title is significant, suggesting a view of women as objects for someone's pleasure. The protagonist, Marian McAlpin, is engaged to Peter, a young lawyer who expects her to become a conven1 Lecture presented at The Nordic Association for Canadian Studies, Turku, Finland, August 11-15, 1993.
2 Quotations, with page references, are from the following editions: The Edible Woman (London: Andre
Deutsch Ltd., 1969), Surfacing (London: Andre Deutsch Ltd. and Wildwood House, 1972), Lady Oracle (New
York: Avon Books, 1976), and Bodily Harm (London: Jonathan Cape, 1982).
\
tional wife. Marian goes along with this to begin with, but gradually realizes that the future that is being planned for her will force her into an