MovieChat Forums > Melancholia (2011) Discussion > Justine lying naked in the light of Mela...

Justine lying naked in the light of Melancholia

posted 9 years ago by remeyers
5 replies | jump to latest

Is this her way of surrendering herself to death? She tells Claire, later on, that she knows things. Perhaps she's depressed because she felt this come on long before they knew it was going to happen. I think Claire knows that her sister can sort of predict things, even though Justine is prone to mental instability. But the look on Claire's face says *beep* is going to happen" even though she continues to try to forget about it and enjoy the flyby.

.....OR is this just some nod to another famous piece of art I'm not recognizing.

Help.

[–] jojozlo 9 years ago

Such a powerful moment, like she is surrendering and lovingly embracing her fate. Its about how depressed people are more calm during catastrophe.

[–] Merrida 8 years ago

I completely agree. I think it was the axis of this movie. The point at which her life and behaviour start to swap places, so to speak, to spin and turn. It's the moment she surrenders to what is literally and symbolically depression and destruction, and is very comfortable and at peace, with herself and with life. It was a beautiful representation.

Given she was by a brook, and given they also foreshadowed with a picture of Ophelia (actually with 2 renditions) also seemed to speak volumes. Ophelia is the embodiment of depression and mental instability, and yet there is usually such transcendental beauty portrayed in the image of her death.

It was like the death of the depressive part of Justine and the birth of the calmer, accepting part of Justine.

______________________________________
Sic vis pacem para bellum.

[–] dcoydcoy 8 years ago

I also thought she was surrendering to her demise. As far as prediction/premonition? Nonsense, and only a coincidence. Anyone claiming to be clairvoyant or make accurate predictions is basically full of shjt.

[–] sarahjane-47535 8 years ago

She's welcoming death like a lover. In an ecstatic state. No more pain, no more enduring a life she doesn't enjoy. There's got to be a dark kind of thrill in knowing there are no more efforts to be made, no more people nagging her to be happy, or take a bath, or get married, or work at a job she hates, or anything. Just nothingness. Peace.

[–] myvarinka 8 years ago

"She's welcoming death like a lover." That makes sense for why von Trier was so heavy handed with his use of Liebestod in the soundtrack, which hadn't made sense to me before.