Jean Tatlock was a significant figure in the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, portrayed by Florence Pugh in Christopher Nolan’s film, Oppenheimer. Born in Michigan in 1914, Tatlock was the daughter of Marjorie Fenton and JSP Tatlock, a renowned English professor and literary scholar.
In 1931, Tatlock attended Vassar College in New York after taking a year off to travel in Europe. During her time in Switzerland, she was exposed to the teachings of psychologist Carl Jung through a friend, which sparked her interest in psychology and led her to pursue its study.
After graduating from Vassar in 1935, she continued her education at Stanford Medical School. However, before joining Stanford, Tatlock completed her prerequisites at the University of California, Berkeley. It was during this period that she came into contact with J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was a physics professor at the university at the time.
Oppenheimer was not only captivated by Tatlock’s intellect but also found himself drawn to her good looks and charm. Their connection grew, leading to an affair between the two. This romantic relationship between Oppenheimer and Tatlock is a focal point in the film, shedding light on this lesser-known aspect of the scientist’s life.
As Oppenheimer played a crucial role in the development of the atomic bomb, the film explores both the scientific and personal aspects of his life, including his involvement with Jean Tatlock. Despite the film’s historical accuracy, some minor discrepancies have been noted, but it continues to captivate audiences with its portrayal of one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.
When did Oppenheimer meet Jean Tatlock?
J. Robert Oppenheimer and Jean Tatlock’s passionate and intense romance began in 1936 when she was 22 and he was 32. Despite a 10-year age gap, Tatlock was considered Oppenheimer’s “truest love,” and he was devoted to her. Although she initially turned down his advances, he reportedly proposed to her twice.
Tatlock was impressed by Oppenheimer’s knowledge of English literature, and she introduced him to the poetry of John Donne. It is said that the name “Trinity,” given to the first nuclear weapon test in 1945, was inspired by a Donne poem, influenced by Tatlock.
While Oppenheimer claimed to have seen Tatlock only on rare occasions after 1939, he married Katherine Puening (Kitty Oppenheimer) in 1940 and remained with her for the rest of his life. Despite this, Oppenheimer and Tatlock continued to be close friends and occasional lovers. She would turn to him for comfort during her bouts of depression.
By 1943, Tatlock was establishing a promising career as a pediatric psychiatrist at Mount Zion Hospital in San Francisco. However, her clinical depression may have worsened as Oppenheimer reduced contact with her after becoming director of the Los Alamos Laboratory.
Due to her past involvement with communist politics, the FBI placed Tatlock under surveillance because of her relationship with Oppenheimer. She wrote for a major communist publication and was a member of the Communist Party of the United States of America while dating Oppenheimer, introducing him to prominent party members.
Although Oppenheimer denied that Tatlock was solely responsible for his political interests, she played a role in urging him to move from theory to action in political struggles.
In June 1943, during one last meeting, Tatlock expressed her love for Oppenheimer and her desire to be with him. Unbeknownst to her, FBI agents allegedly monitored the entire visit. After Oppenheimer distanced himself, Tatlock may have felt that ambition had outweighed love in his life.
The complex and intriguing relationship between Oppenheimer and Tatlock remains a significant aspect of their personal histories and has captured the interest of historians and filmmakers alike.
When did Jean Tatlock die?
On January 4, 1944, Jean Tatlock tragically took her own life at the young age of 29. Her father made the heartbreaking discovery when he entered her San Francisco apartment through a window after receiving no response to the doorbell. Inside, he found Jean submerged in a partially-filled bath in the bathroom, with a suicide note left on the dining room table.
According to reports, the note expressed her profound disillusionment with life, stating, “I am disgusted with everything. To those who loved me and helped me, all love and courage. I wanted to live and to give, and I got paralyzed somehow. I tried like hell to understand and couldn’t.”
Given the FBI’s surveillance on Jean Tatlock due to her association with communist politics, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was among the first to learn of her death. Some have speculated that her death was not a suicide but a murder due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding it and the FBI’s monitoring of her. However, those closest to her firmly believe that her death was indeed a tragic suicide.
Jean Tatlock’s passing deeply affected J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was despondent upon hearing the news. Their past relationship and her association with communist activities were later used against Oppenheimer during the United States Atomic Energy Commission’s security hearings in 1954. These hearings explored his connections to communism and other past actions.
As a consequence of the hearings, Oppenheimer lost his security clearance, effectively ending his formal ties with the US government. The loss of his security clearance was a significant blow to his career and reputation, stemming from the profound impact Jean Tatlock had on his life and the subsequent scrutiny he faced due to their relationship.