Last week, we visited pink, plastic Barbieland (watch discussion HERE). But Barbie’s dream world began to deflate when she–very unexpectedly–developed intrusive thoughts about death. This week’s film also portrays death as an unwelcome intrusion. But this “Death” does not live in the realm of worrying thoughts. He is embodied, undeniable–a unshakeable presence in the life of a Christian Knight.
The backdrop of Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957)–a plague-ridden Sweden of the late Middle Ages– is a stark contrast to Barbieland. As a child, Bergman became fixated on a medieval (roughly 1480-1490) mural painting called Death Playing Chess in a cathedral outside of Stockholm. On the cathedral wall, the young director saw a seemingly heroic knight playing chess with death, a final and fatal game that determined the time and type end to be expected.
In Bergman’s script for The Seventh Seal, we find the story of a knight returning from the Crusades, doubting the very faith he had been fighting for. After witnessing and experiencing suffering, Antonius Block begins to question the goodness of God. At times, he even wonders if God exists, thus making his holy vocation an absurd, empty performance devoid of substance or meaning. In this state of despair, he is confronted by Death with whom he must play a fateful game.
Director Ingmar Bergman, one of the world’s most accomplished, respected, and uniquely artful film directors shared Antonius Block’s anxious doubt. Bergman’s father was a Lutheran minister, and Ingmar grew up in the church. Although his family was devout, Ingmar claims to have lost his faith at the age of eight. Grappling with the absence/presence of God was a focal point of the three films (often referred to as the “Trilogy on Faith”) Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Winter Light (1963), and The Silence (1963). The Seventh Seal is earlier, more caricatured and perhaps more idiosyncratic than the later, deeply personal films.
The Seventh Seal takes its name from Revelation 8:1
“When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” In the film’s opening scene, the a voiceover reads both Revelation 8:1 and 8:6.
“And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.” As you consider the verses chosen by Bergman, I encourage you to read all of Revelation 8. Also note that some verses from the same chapter are read at the end of the film. The opening scene–both its sights and sounds–are deeply ominous. The introductory feeling of fear is one that is internalized by Antonius. He is terrified to ask hard questions of God, he is terrified of death, he is terrified of his own isolation in life and death.
I do not want to give too much of the plot away. It is a strange, dark, and visceral film. There are, however, some spots of light in the film. Look for these as you watch.
Looking at the atheistic existentialism of French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) is helpful in discussing both The Seventh Seal and our next film, Crimes and Misdemeanors. You can read the full text of Sartre’s 1946 lecture “Existentialism is a Humanism” HERE. Rather than making a video today, I am going to record a brief overview of some of Sartre’s main ideas. Here are some key quotes and terms from Sartre’s lecture that I will highlight.
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