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The Handmaid’s Tale Recap: Episode 4, ‘Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum’

By Reuben Levine

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Some anguish, some hope, The Handmaid’s Tale episode 4 gave us a little of both.

For those that have read the book, the title of The Handmaid’s Tale episode 4 is going to set off certain bells. Even for those that haven’t, the latin phrase may appear ominous. That’s a good reason for that. After another brief flashback to a family outing (a carnival), we see that Offred is still in seclusion, stuck in a room that has a door that doesn’t lock. No matter; she knows she can’t go out. It’s in the closet of this room that she discovers the latin phrase, carved into the wood. Or perhaps she’s seen it before and uses it as a kind of comfort – the distinction is neither clear nor important.

After a second flashback, this one featuring Moira and the Red Center (we’ll return there later,) we learn that an Aunt has somehow escaped to Canada. This is important because it gives us our first real taste of life in another country. Once there, she apparently gave an interview to a newspaper that, according to the commander, painted everything in a negative way. Things are apparently nowhere near as dire in Canada as they are in Gilead, which does offer some modicum of hope that the entire world hasn’t lost their minds.

The Handmaid’s Tale is basically attempting to tell two stories: one with Offred, and the other of how we got to this point. Episode 4 is a particularly backstory heavy episode, though it never feels particularly bogged down. It does, fortunately, set the show back on track after a dodgy third episode.

‘Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum’ is filled with beautiful shots, such as when Offred is being forced to go to the doctor because she “fainted.” The rain bouncing off the umbrella is particularly worth noting. Offred is not allowed to see the doctor, who is perfectly amiable, and he tells her that he’s “a good listener.”

During the examination, the doctor uses the word “sterile” to describe the commander, and we learn that “sterile” is a forbidden word. That plays very well into the society of Gilead, which puts the entire onus of childbearing on women. Men cannot be sterile; only women can. The doctor offers to help Offred by impregnating her, thereby getting her off the hook. She chooses not to do it because of the danger level, though by now she has done many other things which could be considered just as dangerous.

She chooses not to do it because of the danger level, though by now she has done many other things which could be considered just as dangerous. The Handmaid’s Tale can, at times, be selective over what is and is not worth a risk. The rules are not constant, for better or worse.

Image Credit: Hulu

In the car Offred has a small breakdown, cursing and beating against the seat. Emotional outbursts are rarely seen or allowed, so it is both sad and cathartic to watch. Outside of that, however, there is a quiet rage that pervades ‘Bastardes,’ more so than the previous episodes. In what feels like another life, Offred and Moira are seen beating up an Aunt and trying to escape. We know before it’s shown that it doesn’t work.

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We are treated this episode to another ceremony. The commander sneaks in early in order to schedule a scrabble date, and he somehow seems oblivious to the panic that he is creating in her. The commander treats Offred like a plaything because he is bored, so he is unable to empathize with her in any meaningful way. At least this time he has trouble getting it up.

During their scrabble match, Offred sees a Latin dictionary on the shelf, which causes her to think about other potential handmaids that the commander may have invited to his private quarters. It’s  certainly a question worth asking. It is, after all, unlikely that Offred is the first woman to in this situation.

The mystery of the Latin phrase isn’t long-lived: it’s just something that the commander made up when he was a kid. Then we find out that Offred’s predecessor killed herself. But still, with all of this new knowledge, Offred ends the episode looking hopeful. She isn’t ready to be beaten down by the odds, which are fantastically stacked against her. This is the first episode that seems to end on a truly uplifting note, which is something that The Handmaid’s Tale needs every so often. Don’t let the bastards grind you down.

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