The Seventh Seal -- Mid-Movie

It is likely that we will finish the Seventh Seal in class tomorrow, so before the movie ends, I thought I would share some thoughts about it before I forget them or before we begin concentrating on elements towards the end of the film, instead of at the beginning. Now, since this is my 2nd viewing, I might have an unfair advantage in seeing more of the elements of film, but I hope that only advances my ideas.

One thing that I noticed early in the film were the numerous references to the colors black and white, especially the amount of black that was attributed throughout the movie, especially to Death, himself. For one, Death is dressed all in black and when they begin playing Chess, Antonius holds the pieces in his hand for Death to choose and Death chooses the Black pieces, or as Antonius puts it "Black for you." As well, Antonius wears a black hood and the world is surrounded by the Black Death or the plague. These numerous allusions to Black are certainly noteworthy in one way or another.

Another idea that I had which may be overly interpreted is two scenes that took place with the actor. The first occurs when he sees the vision of the Virgin Mary with her child. Immediately before seeing the vision of her, he begins juggling balls, which I interpreted as the actor juggling the balls of life and trying to keep them from hitting the ground, just like he is trying to keep himself alive, despite the plague and being bitten by fleas.

The second scene which reaffirms this thought is that when he is talking to his wife about their son Michael with the other characters, they talk about Michael becoming a juggler like Joseph and he says that he knows that his son will be able to perform the impossible trick -- namely that he will make a ball stand still in the air. By keeping the ball in the air, he would be avoiding death and keeping the balls of his life afloat, much like his life. While Joseph believes that the impossible trick is keeping the balls in the air, the director Bergman, is telling us that the true impossible trick is stopping death and much like Mary says that the trick can never be done, we learn that death cannot be avoided.

Now, Joseph is sure that Michael will be able to perform the trick despite his wife's disagreement, and it becomes interesting as to whether his son can really keep a ball floating in the air, and through this avoid the inevitable death that all must face. I could be wrong but I felt that it was fitting that the characters are jugglers, trying to juggle their lives and keeping themselves alive amongst certain death.

Those were the most relevant points that I have seen so far but I also want to write down some of my favorite, and possibly most important lines of dialogue of the film, that I have noticed so far. Meaning can be attributed to each of these quotes and these quotes include:

"You and your visions" - Mary

"There was great silence on heaven and earth." - Joseph

Joseph and Mary
"Mikael will grow up to be a great acrobat--or a juggler who can do the one impossible trick."
"What's that?"
"To make one of the balls stand absolutely still in the air."
"But that's impossible."
"Impossible for us -- but not for him."
"You dreaming again."

Antonius and Death
"I want knowledge."
"You want guarantees?"
"Call it whatever you like. It is so cruelly inconceivable to grasp God with the senses? Why should he hide himself in a mist of half spoken promises and unseen miracles?"

Painter and Jons
"The Dance of Death."
"And that one is Death?"
"Yes, he dances off with all of them."
"Why do you paint such nonsense?"
"I thought it would serve to remind people that they must die."

"This is my hand. I can move it, feel the blood pulsing through it. The sun is still high in the sky and I, Antonius Block, am playing chess with Death."

"Our crusade was such madness that only a real idealist could have thought it up." - Jons
"No matter which way you turn you have your rump behind you. That's the truth." - Jons

Soldier and Jons
"The Devil can't stand the smell."
"Neither can I."

(about Flagellants) "Do you really expect people to believe this drivel?" - Jons

"People are dying like flies" - Jons (Ironic since plague was spread by flies.)

"You look more beautiful without your make-up on" - Antonius (beauty is inherent, no need for false appearances)

"I'm bored with myself" - Antonius

"To believe is to suffer, to speak to one who never answers." - Antonius

"Lord, why did you create women?" - Jons

"Your time is up. Performance -- canceled owing to death. Contract annulled." - Death

"Love is nothing but lust, cheating, and lies." - Jons

"If everything is imperfect in this world, love is perfect in its imperfection." - Antonius

Death and Antonius
"Will you ever stop asking questions?"
"No"
"But you never get any answers"

Jons and Antonius
"Who watches over that child?Is it the angels? Or God? Or the Devil? Or only the emptiness? Emptiness, my lord.
"No."
"Yes emptiness."