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The Handmaid’s Tale: From Genesis to Gilead
Stories help define the human experience. From our earliest days myths, legends, and parables have been used to teach children and adults about the world and our place within it. Some myths fade away, but others persist and change, resonating within our modern era in fresh, new ways, and continuing to aid in expanding our collective understanding even more.
The biblical story of Hagar, the handmaid of Sarah, is one of our oldest stories, considered foundational for three faiths. Theologians and religious scholars have analyzed this story, like many other scriptural stories, to find deeper meaning about their faiths, and in some cases, to justify horrific practices throughout history, including our modern era. Hagar’s tale has also been revisited within painting, sculpture, poetry, plays, and literature, most notably by Margaret Atwood in her landmark 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, adapted into a critically acclaimed television series in 2017.
This essay will examine a few different interpretations of Hagar’s tale. The first will be a literal interpretation of her tale, revisiting the Book of Genesis to take the story as it is, and to place it within the context of the ancient world. The second will consider an allegorical interpretation of Hagar’s tale from Philo, a Hellenistic Jewish theologian from Alexandria around the time of Jesus. Christian and Islamic interpretations will follow, to see how Hagar’s story influences both religions. And finally, an examination of The Handmaid’s Tale as a literary interpretation of Hagar’s story, which brings the much-needed missing perspective of the handmaid herself, along with how Gilead uses a literal interpretation of Hagar’s story to justify their modern dystopia built around patriarchy and sexual slavery.
The Book of Genesis: Literal Interpretations
The story of Hagar occurs in five parts within the Book of Genesis. In the first act, Sarai (who would later become Sarah) declares herself barren and suggests that Abram (who would later become Abraham) should take her handmaid Hagar to conceive a child. (New American Bible, Genesis 16:1–4) Once pregnant, Hagar begins to look upon Sarai “with disdain”. (Gen. 16:4). Sarai complains to Abram about Hagar’s behavior, and receives the authority from Abram to beat Hagar, until Hagar runs…
