Alias Grace is an original Netflix series based off of Margaret Atwood’s award winning novel. It is the depiction of a historical figure from the 1840s, Grace Marks. She is a poor Irish immigrant who works as a domestic servant in Canada and was imprisoned for twenty-eight years for her part in the double murder of her employers…
It is interesting to see another Margaret Atwood novel take form as a television series. The first being Handmaid’s Tale which is available for streaming on Hulu. Handmaid’s Tale follows the story of a woman who is captured and taken into a totalitarian society where women have no rights and are forced to perform one type of act for the rest of their lives.
Both of these series follow women as strong lead characters and bring to mind a time when they had little to no rights. It is not to say that there is a lull in television drama, because that is definitely not the case, but perhaps a new genre is spiraling out within the next few years that we haven’t seen before. This is a twist on 19th century British drama that brings to question the beliefs and values of humanity and forces us to come face to face with the realities that have been forced upon people in the past.
Keep your eyes peeled for other releases of shows like this. But for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
SM
Look for these additional titles, featuring strong female lead roles, that explore aspects of women’s rights and roles in society. These and many more available at Media Services, Ground Floor, Herman B. Wells Library:
“All About Eve” Call Number: PN1997 .A323 2008 Browsing Collection
“Hidden Figures” Call Number: PN1997.2 .H5382 2017 Browsing Collection
“Orange Is The New Black” Call Number: PN1992.77.O72 O73 2014 Browsing Collection
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