Christian Warrior Culture

Preparatory: Several years ago, I made a short video introduction to get students in the right mind frame for this week’s reading and film: watch here. (In the last 30 seconds I make a remark about the movie’s final scene. If you hate spoilers, hit stop at 7:45.)

Reading: The Dream of the Rood, (.pdf on the course Blackboard site).

Viewing: Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 classic, The Seventh Seal: link. Make sure you turn on the English subtitles!

Writing: Respond to ONE of the following prompts. Keep your response short, posting as a reply under the appropriate heading in the comments section:

1. Besides warfare, The Dream of the Rood makes frequent mention of precious metals and gemstones. Quote a line that does so and comment on what these materials seems to signify for our anonymous writer.
2. Bergman’s film centers on the experience of the Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the Late Middle Ages. Focus our attention on a scene which features characters grappling with that ongoing tragedy, and comment on what the film seems to suggest about that “type” of person.
3. Not every scene in the film focuses on the specter of death. Describe a scene that focuses elsewhere and comment on what it seems to be saying.
4. Bergman’s movie is famous for its cinematography: “every frame a painting,” as the saying goes. Pause the movie at a vital moment and write a rich description of what you see. Then add a brief comment on what makes it visually striking or thematically powerful.