An incredible number of talented and successful people were born and live in Toronto. There are also those who have brought worldwide fame to our city and region. Margaret Atwood is one of them. She is a Canadian novelist, poet, and literary critic who lived in Toronto. You can read more about the history of the writer’s life and work on the pages of the torontoski.info website.
What Is Known About the Writer’s Childhood
The future writer was born in 1939 in Ottawa, Ontario. She grew up in a large family.
Margaret was educated at Leaside High School in Leaside, Toronto. Interestingly, she began writing plays and poems at the age of six. Incidentally, Atwood loved to read from an early age.
When the girl turned 16, she realized she wanted to combine her career with writing. That is why, in 1957, she began studying at Victoria College at the University of Toronto. At the institution, Margaret published poems and articles in Acta Victoriana, the college’s literary journal.
In 1961, Margaret graduated from the institution with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. This was followed by postgraduate studies at Radcliffe College of Harvard University on a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. After graduating from the university, she earned a Master’s degree.
Development of Her Writing Career
Margaret Atwood started her writing career in 1961. Since then, her creative output has included 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nine collections of short fiction, eight children’s books, two graphic novels, and more. It is worth noting that her work covers themes of gender, identity, ecology, politics, and mythology. The writer actively explores the influence of language on society and often uses elements of feminism in her works.
Her first novel, “The Edible Woman”, was published in 1969. It became a landmark work that raised questions about women’s social status. Other notable works by the author include:
- “The Handmaid’s Tale”. This novel appeared in 1985. Incidentally, the writer’s work became a cult classic of feminist literature, describing a totalitarian society. The novel tells the story of women who are stripped of their rights and turned into “handmaids.” They are forced to bear children for the elite. The novel was popular and won numerous awards. Furthermore, the book was adapted into a successful television series.
- “The Blind Assassin”. Another novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 2000. It received the Booker Prize. The plot of the work tells the story of two sisters, their lives, and their secrets. Overall, the reader will find elements of history and fantasy in the novel.
- “Oryx and Crake”. The first novel of the trilogy was released in 2003. In the work, the reader explores the themes of genetic engineering and ecological disaster together with the author.
- “The Year of the Flood”. The second novel of the “Oryx and Crake” trilogy was released in 2009. The second part continues to explore the theme of the apocalypse and survival in catastrophic conditions.
- “The Testaments”. In 2019, the writer decided to release a sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The new installment reveals new aspects of the world of Gilead and the history of the heroines.
It should be noted that these books are not only popular among readers but also have a significant impact on contemporary literature and cultural discussions about women’s rights, ecology, and social change.
About Her Personal Life
The writer married for the first time in 1968. Her chosen one was the American writer Jim Polk. The couple divorced five years later. Margaret subsequently began dating fellow novelist Graeme Gibson. In 1976, the couple had a daughter. They lived near Alliston, on a farm.
In 1980, the family decided to move to Toronto. The couple lived together until 2019. That was the year Margaret’s husband passed away.