The notion of self-realization as a phenomenon that is highly subjective is very difficult to explore in any medium, including even movies and novels. The concept in question delves into the extent of one’s potential and even the nature of one’s self-image and self-esteem. Therefore, the short stories such as “Intoxicated by My Illness” and “A Father’s Faith,” as well as the movie The Seventh Seal should be credited for exploring the problem that is so elusive for both a visual story and a textual narrative.
However, each of these narratives provides a different view of the nature of self-realization, not because of the differences in the medium type but because of the message that they convey. While in “Intoxicated by My Illness” and The Seventh Seal, the idea of self-realization through confronting death is presented directly, “A Father’s Faith” meanders around the notion, exploring the lead character’s emotional development rather than the change in his perception of death itself.
Although the difference in the types of genres, namely, a novel and a movie, is evident in the described scenario, The Seventh Seal is much closer to “Intoxicated by My Illness” in its message rather than to “A Father’s Faith.” The reasons for the observed phenomenon lie in the restrictions that exists outside the genre and concern cultural issues more than the differences in the use of artistic tools of expression. Specifically, “A Father’s Faith” is restricted by the religious principles and values according to which the emotional response to death is an issue of significantly greater importance than the exploration thereof through the cultural lens (Bosio 2). As a result, the attitudes that the lead characters in “A Father’s Faith” assume are much more passive than the ones that can be observed in The Seventh Seal and “Intoxicated by My Illness.”
Indeed, The Seventh Seal involves a direct and uninhibited interaction between the lead character and the Death itself, personifying the latter and showing what one can achieve by confronting it. While the movie renders a concept of cheating death, it, in fact, helps one to reconcile with the idea of dying instead of encouraging one to avoid contemplating the idea (The Seventh Seal). In a similar way, “Intoxicated by My Illness” allows one to study the idea of dying and suffering meticulously and attempting to understand this grim knowledge (Broyard 3). The journeys of each protagonist involve a transformation from the scared self that bargains with death to a wiser one that recognizes the value of having lived a fulfilling life and being able to accept the inevitability of death.
In contrast to the previous two artworks, “A Father’s Faith” takes an emotional approach toward managing death. Although the specified aspect of the movie does not deprive it of its value, it does restrict the process of self-realization through the analysis of death. Thus, “A Father’s Faith” can be seen as a different approach to self-realization that involves spiritual and religious experiences rather than self-exploration. As a result, the journeys of the lead characters differ drastically from each other. The passive way toward self-realization that “A Father’s Faith” promotes is not inherently worse than the active one that “Intoxicated by My Illness” and The Seventh Seal purport, yet it affects the process of self-realization by making it slower and reduces one’s own agency in realizing one’s potential.
Whereas “Intoxicated by My Illness” and The Seventh Seal imply self-realization by rationalizing death and facing it directly, “A Father’s Faith” represents self-realization as an emotional journey toward acceptance of dying. The specified difference in the ideas shown in the narratives does not diminish the philosophical and moral value of “Intoxicated by My Illness” and The Seventh Seal, but, instead, introduces the audience to a new interpretation of the concept of self-realization through the exploration of death.
Works Cited
Bosio, John. A Father’s Faith. Routledge, 2010.
Broyard, Anatole. “Intoxicated by My Illness.” Fawcett, 1993.
The Seventh Seal. Directed by Ingmar Bergman, performance by Gunnar Björnstrand, Bengt Ekerot, and Nils Poppe, AB Svensk Filmindustri, 1997.