About
“Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds” is a quote from scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, theoretical physicist and credited father of the atomic bomb.[1] Online, it has grown into a popular caption for image macros.
Origin
In an interview about the first test of the atomic bomb, first televised in 1965 as part of a documentary called The Decision to Drop the Bomb, Oppenheimer remarked that upon seeing the test, he thought “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” He was quoting the 1944 Prabhavananda and Isherwood translation of Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita.[2]
Spread
The quote became one of the most famous in American history.[3] In pop culture, it has been widely referenced, appearing in films, television shows, video games, and more.[4] Online, the quote has drawn discussion since as early as 2003,[5] as people have discussed its significance in American history and pondered about its peculiar grammatical construction.[6]
The quote has long been humorously applied to images of non-threatening subjects, one of the earliest being “Fluffy,” shown below, who dates back to 2004.[7]
Memes that have used the quote include Luigi Death Stare, Star Wars, Grumpy Cat, and many more.
Various Examples
External References
[1]Wikipedia – J. Robert Oppenheimer
[2]Wikiquote – Robert Oppenheimer
[3]Huffington Post – 10 Quotes That Changed The Way We Look At The World
[4]TV Tropes – Stock Quotes
[5]Anandtech – Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.
[6]Quora – What is the significance of the grammatical error in now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds?
[7]Manojar – Fluffy 2004