The 7th Seal

            From start to finish, the worldview of Ingmar Bergman is put forth in the movie The Seventh Seal, revealing his intense fear of death and utter loss of hope. From the beginning scene, when Antonius Block proposes to Death the conditions under which he might live; that as long as he holds out in chess he is allowed to roam freely. Death is not just a forethought, it is what consumes him, and he prolongs his life with no true understanding of why, and searches endlessly for meaning.

            This is the overarching theme in the film, and it is one I am very familiar with, having asked the same questions Antonius asks as he runs from death, in both the metaphorical chess game and in his wanderings. This is the plight of modern man, and the questions most people ask themselves as they begin to live life independently of their upbringing. Questions seeking for true answers and ultimately for God, who is the source of truth.

            Bergman uses the thematic setting of the black plague era, along with the imagery in the title of the end times to present his modern man, the wandering Antonius who seeks for the meaning of life in the world of death and hopelessness. Jon is the modern philosopher, who embraces both nihilism and absurd existentialism. When they discuss the suffering of the plague sufferers, Jon immediately asks for the brandy. He is the comedy relief, and his humor exists because he is embracing modern philosophy, and a sense of absurdity. While solemn Block’s search leads him even to the foot of a possessed girl, where he asks to see the devil. He is pained by God’s silence, and yet does not wish to extinguish his pain in death, he would rather have a supernatural experience at all.

            The confession scene is telling, as Antonius confesses his indifference. This is so true, that indifference is the most problematic of sins, for it is the claim that one is not making a choice. But what one must realize in ones heart is that indifference is a sin, and it is a negative choice, not lack of a choice. Bergman tries to paint the modern man as merely ignorant, when we know it is much worse than that.

            The entrance of Jof and Maria is a very interesting symbolism, they represent Bergman’s perception of innocence, and even religious conduct. Antonius encounters them and even has a meal, and they journey together. He sees them and how they live. He does not seek what they have. He is not looking for meaning or faith, but for looking for certainty. There is a contrast here, but not a pure contrast. We do see in the ending, as Maria and Jof continue their optimistic lives, that Bergman notices something about those who have faith.

            As the plot develops, the tryst between Plog’s wife and the Jof’s partner occurs. Bergman explores the idea of marriage and love, and adultery. It is most interesting to me the way he has written Plog’s wife, she is the femme fatale, the conniving woman, and she is opposed by Maria, the nurturing mother. It is interesting to note Plog’s reaction as well as Jon’s to the situation. Jon notes how imperfect love is, and how it is made perfect in that aspect of it, while Plog’s only comment is, “Life is a dirty mess.”

            This is a mere side note, however, as the overarching theme of the eminence and mystery of death pervades every frame of this existentialist masterpiece. This is deeply reflective of the fragmentary sense of life held by philosophy. Jon laughs in the face of all things including death and love. We see in the framework of the confession scene the plight of man—that he is essentially trapped by death, pursued without hope of escape and asks questions receiving only a void in return.

            The final action sequence brings out the artist’s confusion. They are at the knight’s keep and having dinner when Death comes for the knight. They revere him and honor him, calling him “Noble Lord” and all revere him intently. Jof laughs as the Knight begins to pray and ask to see God a final time. Jof begins to mock him sardonically. He asserts that he, as the philosopher, was the end of all thought, and that he could have answered in Romans the Knights search for meaning. At the end, they “dance the dance of death”. This is very powerful; it is the completion of the modern way of thinking.

            It is this insatiable curiosity surrounding truth and certainty, and the mystique of death where we find common ground in our worldview. While we do not revere death out of fear, we rather understand God’s sovereign place in the appointment of the first death here on earth. “All flesh is like grass…the grass withers and the flower falls off.” (1 Peter 1:24). We no longer fear death, for we fear no punishment in Christ, we ought to consider the moments of our lives, and truly seek after God as though each hour was our last hour of life.

            This quest for certainty is of course another level on which we meet Bergman’s assertions about modern man. The difference between the world and us, is that we come to a resignation. Our fallenness and finiteness combine to frustrate our minds, and prevent us from really attaining what is hidden in eternity. Rather than our dependence lying on ourselves to somehow ascertain the things of God in fullness, without doubt, we have been given the concept of faith as the grounds on which to encounter God. It is in a sense, the childlikeness of faith, not only in our approach of innocence, but also in our desire for the things of God. We are like children in our knowledge, always craving more, but never truly see the end of learning. And we rejoice in this, because it is distinguished by God’s eternal all knowing presence. Our faith, and lack of all certainty is to the glory of God.

            The agony of the knight is over this issue is another facet of modern man. Depression is not sin. Today in America we have become a narcotic dystopia, medicating our emotional states with prozac and ritelin, unwilling to admit that depression is part of life. Grief in Lamentations is what Jeremiah was feeling, and depression characterized his fruitless ministry. Or if Isaac that he put name David But again here, there is a distinction between the grief we feel over our position before God and the depression that characterizes modern man, one of emptiness and self-absorption. As II Corinthians 7:10 says, “The sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” Clearly, this is indicative of the road down which modern philosophy heads, and is so aptly illustrated by the film.

            The observations Bergman reflects in the characters of Jof and Maria are very interesting as well. He depicts them as a fairly well meaning and harmless couple, desiring the best for their child, and living in fidelity and matrimony the way a man and woman are supposed to. They are the only ones in the movie who survive, and end up in any way happy. This could be a symbolic naming indicative of what Bergman feels about the religious individuals he has met. That they are free from the worry of death, and merely appear crazy from time to time (Jof’s visions). We know that these are valid observations from the outside. Bergman makes an inadvertent statement here about what the gospel appears as in men to him.

            We see in all of this the portrait of modern thought Bergman is trying to paint. The whole visual reference points he uses, and the nature of the dialogue seem to indicate that we are observers of life, that we are somehow listening in on these events, rather than simply watching a movie. We are all sojourners on this earth, and we see the pain and havoc unregenerate man wages upon himself in the agony of his own soul. Dr. Suzuki often comments as we read through complex philosophical systems, that it is so frustrating reading the thoughts of men, when, to the regenerated mind, the issues with which they struggle can become so plain. This movie uniquely captures a perspective on man that pervades much of our culture, and this view must be taken to heart and engaged to pour the gospel into it.