Margaret Atwood: A Modern Mythmaker

by Jennifer Cognard-Black, The Great Courses

In 1985, Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale was published, joining the ranks of novels like 1984 and Brave New World in a growing canon of speculative tales that imagine a bleak future for the Western world. Like those stories, Atwood’s novel extrapolates an oppressive future from troubling events and trends in the real world. But unlike most other speculative novels, over the course of the last 40 years, The Handmaid’s Tale has become more than a cautionary tale—it has become a work of modern mythology.

In the six lectures of Margaret A Modern Myth-Maker, Dr. Jennifer Cognard-Black will take you on a thorough exploration of Atwood’s most celebrated novel to examine the many ways this book has transcended its dystopian roots to become something more than a tale of, “What if?” Over the course of these lectures, you’ll examine the social, political, cultural, and spiritual impact of the novel—and of Atwood herself—as you dive deep into the text to unravel its themes and inspirations. Along the way, you’ll see how Atwood’s work fits into our larger conception of archetypes, myths, and the hero’s journey.

Just as The Handmaid’s Tale has transcended its Cold-War-era origins to become something more, it has also extended its reach beyond the printed page, inspiring adaptations in film, opera, ballet, online fan fiction, and, most famously, a critically acclaimed television series that has alerted millions of viewers to the dangers of autocracy in the 21st century. In this course, you will see why Atwood’s seminal work continues to resonate with each new generation that encounters it and what it can tell us about the value of myth in our current moment.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Essays, Womens

3 pages, Audible Audio

Published May 15, 2025

Reviews

[Siv30 · Rating 3 out of 5]

לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -

https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/marg...

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Atwood is becoming known as a modern day Oracle or Modern Myth Maker. Remythification can clarify and conjure up new understandings:
1. The Future Library Project.
2. How Imagination can be a powerful tool to fuel the world.
3. Misogyny is not winning because we are here and we can act.

[Lenka Příplatová · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting listen, especially if you already like Atwood. I had no idea she’d referred to herself as a kind of modern Pythia, and I actually found that both funny and fitting—someone sitting over the fumes of our time, muttering warnings people only half listen to.

The course focuses mainly on The Handmaid’s Tale and how it’s shifted from “just” dystopian fiction into something like modern political mythology. There’s a lot of talk about patriarchy and smashing it, which is about as far as I comfortably go with overt feminism in this format. On the other hand, the lecture is right about some very real horrors: the rollback of reproductive rights, tradwife vibes, incel culture, the casual policing of women’s bodies. Atwood saw a lot of that coming (although she herself says future cannot be foretold) and mapped it out long before it went mainstream, and the course makes that connection very clearly.

There’s a moment spent on the fact that Atwood doesn’t have tons of queer or Black characters in certain works, which is true, but I’m not convinced it’s the scandal some people want it to be. Not every story can or should carry every single issue at once. When I listen to a lesbian romance, I don’t expect it to also solve reproductive justice. Same here: this course works best when it keeps its focus on what Atwood actually does—power, control, storytelling, and the way a “what if” narrative turns into a shared cultural warning sign.

Overall, it’s full of thoughtful ideas, sometimes a bit too busy tearing down “the patriarchy” for my taste, but still sharp in showing how Atwood turned worst-case scenarios into a language we now use to talk about very real, very current problems.

[Heather Kimball · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is short, sweet, and to the point. I would say that it borders on idolatry, but the book was very informative. I liked that it looked at the current political environment and the way that Atwood's book has influenced society.

In a world that uses Atwood's book more like an instruction manual than a warning, this book points out that intelligence is no longer something optional. Being blind to what is going on is something we need to see and act on. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in Gilead. Be vigilant. Atwood is not an oracle, but an observant writer that can synthesize history and present it as a very possible reality.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable set of lectures about the novel/show and an amazing author

[AttackGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Discussion of Atwood’s books particularly Handmaids Tale and influence on society or perhaps expression of.

[Nikita T Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to hear the parallels of reality versus Margaret's writing

[Michelle N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable series of lectures on Margaret Atwood and her best-known work, The Handmaid's Tale.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I am dumbfounded that the novel is forty years old. gah

4 stars

[Liz C. · Rating 1 out of 5]

How sad to have such a biased lens on Christianity and abortion and of course Donald Trump. lol it’s so odd to me how obsessed modern feminism is with this man.

Also, Murder isn’t “reproductive care” but go on and continue spreading hate and lies. You think woman have no rights here? Or are “losing” their rights? Here … in AMERICA?! What a joke.