Original artwork, not a still
The Handmaid's Tale ‧ 1985
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The line is a secret gesture of defiance in a society that has banned women from writing. It is also fake Latin, a schoolboy joke turned into a message between strangers. Readers and protesters lifted it out of the book, and it turned up on signs and clothing, particularly after the TV adaptation. The message passes from one woman to the next.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Handmaid's TaleShow the scene
Offred finds these words scratched in the dark of her cupboard, in Chapter 9. They are mock Latin and look like a message from a woman who lived in the room before her. The phrase is a form of the old joke 'Illegitimi non carborundum', often rendered as 'Don't let the bastards grind you down'. Offred's own telling gives the meaning as 'Do not let the bastards grind you down'.
Sources (2)
- Margaret Atwood (Wikiquote)The Handmaid's Tale section, Chapter 9 (p. 52)Reference checked
- Illegitimi non carborundum (Wikipedia)History and uses sectionsReference checked
Context reviewed
