The Seventh Seal (1958)

If there is anything that has been questioned more than whether or not God exists, I cannot think of it. Time after time people ask themselves and sometimes each other if there is a God, and if there actually is, why he would allow such tragedies throughout history, throughout the world to occur. If there is an all forgiving man upstairs, why is there war, why is there poverty, and in the case of The Seventh Seal why is there the black plague. Antonius Block, a Knight returning home to Sweden from the Crusades, has worn out faith because of the war and has a rare opportunity, to ask death himself the almighty question: “Is there truly a God”.
As I mentioned, Antonius was returning from The Crusades to Sweden where the Black Plague had swept the country and killed thousands of people. During his journey home Antonius and his squire Jon where visited by death. Although because of the black plague, Death is busier than ever making his rounds, he accepts Antonius’s challenge to a game of chess, after all Death admits he never loses at anything. Although Antonius’s challenge was accepted it did not give him a free-pass, and that was not what he was looking for. Antonius was certain he would lose, but only wished to buy enough time to answer the question that he, and so many others wonder, does god exist?
After being denied a direct answer from Death, although frustrated Antonius is determined to find out the answers he longs for and refuses to give up. He visits a priest and asks the same question, and after a fade-out (145), it is revealed that the priest is actually Death, who’s only response is to laugh at Antonius’s helplessness. Although outsmarted by Death in this particular case, which maybe representing the way the chess game is also going, Antonius again, refuses to leave this question unanswered and continues his quest.
I found it ironic, how throughout the film, Antonius see’s all the horrors of the black plague and his ravished country, and not only comes face to face with Death, but actually plays chess with him. But on the other hand Jof, the acrobatic performer has visions of the exact opposite, the Virgin Mary and child. In fact, Jof and Antonius seem to contrast each other throughout the whole film. Whereas Antonius has witnessed many horrors and no longer can think positively, Jof is optimistic throughout the whole movie, seemingly unaware of the plague that surrounds him.
Although it becomes clear throughout the film that Antonio only continues for himself out of selfishness, he has somewhat of a character development towards the end. He eventually met his inevitable defeat in chess and ultimately in life itself, and even though he never actually got the answers he was looking for, he found meaning in life in another way. In what I would consider a surprising, but happy ending, he enables the escape of Jof, Jof’s wife Mia, and his infant son Mikeal.

Works Cited

Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White"The Film Experience: An Introduction". Boston, Ma. Bedford/St. Martins Publishing. 2009 (text)

Salvad, Jay. "Chess Game."Photo. People.USC.edu Accessed April 10,2010.

The Seventh Seal. Dir. Ingmar Bergman. Svensk Filmindustri. oct. 13, 1958.