The Handmaid's Tale remains a bleak novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 1985. It is set in the Republic of Gilead, a oppressive society where women forfeited all their rights. In this society, women are split into castes based on their reproductive capabilities, with Handmaids bound to reproductive servitude. The novel centers on Offred, a Handmaid assigned to a Commander and his wife, Serena Joy, a former activist who helped create the Gileadean regime. The Handmaid's Tale translated into a successful TV series in 2017, winning several awards, including Emmys and Golden Globes.