‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ continued

Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen

PRX

Arts

4.6 • 675 Ratings

🗓️ 29 August 2019

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is getting a sequel, “The Testaments,” so it’s a good time to look at what originally influenced Margaret Atwood, and how the book continues to influence others. First, Atwood herself talks about her inspirations for the book — the rise of the Christian right in the 1980s and a woman in New England in the 17th century who was accused of being a witch. Then Ann Dowd, who portrays the character Aunt Lydia on the Hulu adaptation, talks with Kurt Andersen about how she has spent a career making scary characters so real and recognizable. Finally, Louise Erdrich and Megan Hunter talk about how their dystopian novels also explore the significance of pregnancy.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	from PRX.
0:06.4	Today on Studio 360, long before Margaret Atwood wrote The Handmaid's Tale or its imminent sequel, The Testaments,
0:14.2	there was a little-known figure who inspired it all.
0:17.4	The Handmaid's Tale is dedicated to Mary Webster because she is an example of a female person
0:23.2	wrongly accused.
0:24.7	American witch hunts and the new resonance
0:27.5	of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel.
0:33.0	Plus...
0:41.2	Anne Dowd, who plays Aunt Lydia on the current TV adaptation,
0:43.5	on playing terrifying people.
0:45.7	And I love going to the lower depths.
0:47.8	I just think that's a ticket to heaven.
0:53.3	Today on Studio 360, a whole hour about the new resonance of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel right after this.
1:08.7	This is Studio 360. I'm Kurt Wynast. And I'm sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
1:13.4	This first level of garden.
1:14.8	This is Thomas Jefferson's vegetable garden.
1:16.6	I like to have the roasted chicken piece.
1:18.4	Very well done.
1:19.5	Editing is all about timing.
1:21.1	I try to get a little bit away from the actual subject.
1:23.8	You must get sick of your own voice, right?
1:26.2	Studio 360.
	...

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