Original artwork, not a still
The Handmaid's Tale · 1985
Blessed be the fruit. / May the Lord open.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A pleasantry that is really a reminder of what the woman is for. The line is half greeting, half prayer, and it is spoken as a duty. It has become a protest slogan, and shorthand for the idea that a woman is valued only for her fertility.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Handmaid's TaleShow the scene
The paired greeting between Handmaids in Gilead. A Handmaid greets another with Blessed be the fruit, and the reply is May the Lord open, a prayer that God will open the womb. Handmaids are walked in pairs on daily shopping trips, and Offred is partnered with Ofglen, who turns out to be a secret member of the Mayday resistance. The exchange is a ritual of the regime's cult of fertility, spoken in the book as a duty and not as warmth.
Sources (2)
- Gilead sayings (Handmaid's Tale wiki)Sayings in GileadReference checked
- The Handmaid's Tale (Wikipedia)Characters: OfglenReference checked
Context reviewed
