Babette's Feast Analysis

Babette’s Feast

1. After partaking of Babette’s feast, was your biased view of European cinema changed into one of admiration and appreciation? Why and how? Do you believe in the transforming power of art?

I have become so accustomed to watching and enjoying only movies from Hollywood that this movie is the first European movie I’ve ever watched, and glad to say it was unexpectedly more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Honestly, the start of the movie was very slow-paced and I found it a bit boring. However, as the movie went on, I found myself giving my full attention to the movie as it got me curious on what was the message and meaning of the story behind the seemingly simple plot of the movie.

The slow pacing of the movie made the deeper meanings and message hidden in the film really come out. I really appreciated the fact that such a beautiful story could come out from a movie that is so simple, with no special effects to distract you, yet have such a powerful message. I now truly believe in the transforming power of art as this movie showed me how a film with such a simple plot can touch such serious realities and human failures. There were just so many scenes throughout the film that turned such simple ordinary things into beautiful lessons for the viewers.

The fact that it was such a different experience to the Hollywood movies that I am accustomed to watching, really made me appreciate the beauty in European films. I was wondering before class whether choosing to watch European films was the right film class to take but after watching Babette’s feast, I am glad that I did and look forward to watching and appreciating more films like this in and outside the classroom.

2. Explain the ff. symbolisms:

        a. The dried fish in the beginning

        b. The window washing

        c. The candle light snuffed out in the end

We see several symbolisms throughout the film. The first one is at the very start of the movie where the camera focuses on dried fish. Now at first I did not understand why they were showing dried fish at the start of the film but as I continued watching I began to understand that the dried fish symbolized the dull lives of the characters. The dried fish was the staple food of the characters in the film. However, as the film progressed, I realized that the dried fish represented the lives of the people in the village before Babette’s feast. If we compare the dried fish to the people of the village, we then start to see the similarities between both of them such as dry, dull, boring, bland, and lifeless. The lives of the people in the village were just like those of the dried fishes; without passion and excitement. It was only after Babette’s feast that everything started to change. Their lives after the feast were no longer dull and boring but full of joy and excitement as we see them celebrating, singing, and even laughing as they were on their way home.

Another symbol we see in the film is Babette washing the window from the outside. I believe that by washing the dirt from the window, Babette was able to let light come into the dark house. This symbolizes how later on in the movie Babette is able to do the same for the sisters and even the townspeople. She was able to bring the light into their dark and gloomy lives, and show them the beauty of the outside world, a world outside their religious beliefs. Babette gave them a new perspective on life, that the good life is the unity of both physical and spiritual pleasures, and not just one or the other.

Lastly, we have the symbolism of the candle light snuffed in the end of the film. I think that the snuffing of the candle light at the end of the film represents not just the end of the feast but also the end of the dull and gloomy lives of the townspeople. It signifies that Babette who is the light of the story to the townspeople has been able to finally touch their lives and transform them. This signifies the start of change and hope in the once gloomy town as the lives of the townspeople shall be lighted anew.