Abstract
This study explores Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments through Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism and polyphony to examine how multiple narrative voices articulate resistance against Gilead’s totalitarian regime. The purpose is to demonstrate how Atwood’s use of diverse narrators transforms rebellion into a dialogic process that challenges monologic authority. Employing a qualitative analytical approach grounded in Bakhtinian criticism, the paper interprets the perspectives of Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy as independent yet interrelated voices. Through textual analysis, the study identifies how Atwood’s polyphonic design allows each narrator to speak autonomously while engaging in a dynamic exchange with the others, thereby dismantling the dominance of a single authoritative discourse. The findings indicate that The Testaments functions as a polyphonic novel where meaning arises through interaction rather than authorial control. Rebellion becomes a collective act voiced through multiple, autonomous consciousnesses. The dialogic exchange among narrators illustrates Bakhtin’s belief that truth is relational and plural, never confined to a single viewpoint. This study contributes to Bakhtinian literary criticism by showing how Atwood’s narrative form embodies dialogic rebellion. It also provides a model for understanding reality through multiplicity and diversity of voice. Finally, it demonstrates the power of literature to resist ideological domination by allowing distinct voices to coexist, converse, and challenge oppressive authority.