The Testaments

The novel opens with a narration by none other than Aunt Lydia, the leading villain of The Handmaid’s Tale. Aunt Lydia is not the one-dimensional monster that she seemed to be in the first book. This Aunt Lydia is thoughtful, funny, and even self-deprecating. She describes the unveiling of her statue, which is meant to recognize her preeminent role in building the society of Gilead. Aunt Lydia is less than enthused with seeing herself immortalized before she is dead, yet she satisfies the sculptress, who is nervously awaiting her reaction: “I toyed with the idea of frowning as the sheet came off, but thought better of it: I am not without compassion. ‘Very lifelike,’ I said” (3). In this exchange, the reader can see the power Aunt Lydia holds over the women of Gilead. Her visible approval brings relief and cheer, while her disapproval brings fear and anxiety.

Aunt Lydia begins a written memoir, which is a risky endeavor. There is a sense that the leaders of Gilead will consider her writings subversive, as she ponders whether she will ever have the actual reader she addresses in her writings. The title of Lydia’s chapters, “The Ardua Hall Holograph,” is interesting. Ardua Hall is the place where the Aunts live and teach their Supplicants.