Aunt Lydia: Feminist Messenger of Hope

This essay examines whether Aunt Lydia’s character in The Testaments by Margaret Atwood is a contemporary feminist messenger of hope and if the reader can forgive Aunt Lydia for her earlier misconducts. The essay analyzes Aunt Lydia’s character in The Testaments and its prequel The Handmaid’s Tale from a feminist perspective, focusing on the empowerment of education, sisterhood, and pragmatism. Aunt Lydia’s character demonstrates the empowerment of education in her Bildungsromanesque childhood, her educational achievements prior to the rise of Gilead, and in the education of Gileadian women. Aunt Lydia’s character emphasizes sisterhood in her conditioning of the handmaids and makes sure that there is a matriarchy within the patriarchy in order to protect the Gileadian women. Aunt Lydia’s character is also a pragmatist considering that her ultimate goal is to take revenge on Gilead. In order to take revenge, Aunt Lydia’s character makes calculated, goal-oriented and pragmatic decisions. The emphasis on the empowerment of female education, sisterhood and pragmatism are all characteristics of a feminist character, confirming that Aunt Lydia is a feminist character. From the antagonist in The Handmaid’s Tale to the hero in The Testaments, Aunt Lydia’s redemption indicates a message of hope from the author. Aunt Lydia’s feminist characteristics suggest a feminist message; Aunt Lydia’s character is a feminist messenger of hope. The message is that it is never too late for redemption and that as long as women stand together, there is hope. The essay also examines Aunt Lydia’s integrity and considers whether the reader can forgive Aunt Lydia. Because even though Aunt Lydia’s turns out to be the hero in The Testaments and her testimony promotes empathy and understanding for Aunt Lydia’s character, the reader still remembers her earlier misconducts and is unlikely to forgive her completely