Margaret Atwood's Woman: The Journey to Define a Gender

What exactly does it mean to be Woman and why does being Woman set one apart? These questions are ones that Margaret Atwood seeks to explore thoroughly and answer, or not to answer, in her works. The Woman that Atwood seeks to find is not one type of woman only, nor is she one woman only. She is the soul of all women, the omnipresent spirit shared by women of all ages and histories. The women of Margaret Atwood’s short stories reflect many of the hardships and struggles of all women, exploring the feminine psyche especially through the lens of the isolation brought on by the very state of being Woman. Just as Atwood has sought to find Woman through her works, so has society turned to Atwood in search of the meaning of Woman.

Margaret Atwood’s works provide a veritable goldmine of fodder for the voraciously ambitious gender critic. Gender criticism seeks to find the underlying meaning of a piece by investigating the social position of women both at the time that the work was written as well as historically and then considering the implications of this history and context on the work. Both Atwood’s own life as a woman and the time in which she was raised have greatly informed her works. Her uncanny ability to communicate the needs of Woman through her characters in a very clear and human manner have made her works popular and relevant for as long as they have been in print. A thorough gender-based criticism of Margaret Atwood’s works must explore both Atwood herself and the histories that inspired her and that continue to guide her readers.
In my paper, I explore Margaret Atwood’s quest to define Woman in the context of Woman’s role in society, as a mother, and as a human being as well as Atwood’s struggle to define herself. “I am not a feminist,” Atwood tells Alan Twigg in an interview, “I am merely a woman writing about women. I have no agenda beyond being a woman (Twigg 138).” Atwood’s tender appreciation for the complexities of the female psyche and the needs of Woman both as an individual and as a member of society make her works believable and relevant to her audience. In addition, the often somewhat sinister aspects of her stories are lit from beneath by a light, amusing brand of humor and a sense for the ridiculous.

Through her stories Margaret Atwood explores the roles of women in society and the limitations that women both face and create for themselves as mothers and wives. The objectification of women, both that perpetrated by men and that contributed by women themselves, is one of the main aspects of womanhood that Atwood addresses, looking into the dynamics of relationships and the effects of these dynamics on women. Atwood’s focus on the role of woman in devaluing herself is one of the most striking features in her woman characters, especially through the characters of Sally, in “Bluebeard’s Egg,” and Sarah, from “The Resplendent Quetzal.” Atwood also addresses the threat of motherhood to a woman’s individuality and the often dehumanizing pressure of creating a family. In spite of the distinct feminist flavors that are present in many of her works, Atwood’s fascination with Woman is the life’s work of one of our era’s most brilliant author’s, not a political agenda or an extremist social commentary; Atwood merely asks that her readers view her women as they would view any woman, give her time, and consider her.

In reading the short stories of Margaret Atwood, I found countless stories that I would love to read again and again. Of the stories that I used in my paper, however, I would most recommend the story "Giving Birth," which follows the young soon-to-be mother Jeanie. Opening with an interesting discussion of the societal role of language and labels, the story progresses to an interesting and touching account of Jeanie's insecurities and fears as she faces becoming a mother and what implications this momentous event bears for her. (CCS)

Photograph by Jim Allen
Watercolors by Margaret Atwood, private collection