The Handmaid's Tale is a grim novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 1985. It is set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian society where women forfeited all their rights. In this society, women are split into castes based on their reproductive capabilities, with Handmaids being forced into 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 was adapted into a successful TV series in 2017, earning several awards, including Emmys and Golden Globes.