MovieChat Forums > Séraphine (2008) Discussion > What do you think Seraphine meant (spoi...

What do you think Seraphine meant (spoilers)

posted 15 years ago by film_ophile
10 replies | jump to latest

when she said, twice in the film, "I am ready"? What do you think was the screenwriter's intent? I wondered about "I am ready to die" and "I am ready to wed my Saviour" and "I am ready to be famous." It seemed significant enough to the screenwriter because it was repeated twice, and each time, a scene seemed to have been built around it.

On a completely different topic, were you surprised that the patron did not insist on her being given paints and canvas just in case she chose to resume her art in the asylum? I felt so very disappointed that he acquiesced to the doctor's opinion.It's that haunting refrain of 'what if...?"

Ad hoc, Ad loc, Quid pro queeee,
So little time and so much to see

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] bhousemadrigals 14 years ago

Maybe, but he ended up paying for a better room for her in the asylum, one with a better view of the tree she used to love to climb when she was younger. She apparently had mental problems off and on throughout her life, and this was alluded to when she was having lunch with the two nuns and then laid her head on one of the nun's shoulders. Toward the end of her life her patron may have realized himself that she was past the point of no return as far as her sanity was concerned. At least, that's how it seemed to me though I agree with you that it would have been nice if he'd tried anyway.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] film_ophile 12 years ago

Like you and 99% of those out here, I also knew nothing of her. But because of this film and its intro to Uhde, her patron, I have sought out and read his available works about the primitive artists that intereested him, including Rousseau of course, but also the less famous Bombois.

The way to have what we want
Is to share what we have.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] sherm456 9 years ago

My take was that she was ready to get married, and she was hoping that heaven would sent a man along her way.

[–] film_ophile 9 years ago

Ah ha. So not 'ready to wed my Lord' ?

The way to have what we want
Is to share what we have.

[–] sherm456 9 years ago

Yeah, the wedding dress makes me think she was hoping for a person. If she was ready to marry the Lord, maybe she would have worn a nun's habit instead? :)

[–] Jasonm-green 9 years ago

I took it more as she thought an angel was coming for her. Her form of religion was a very personal ecstatic one. These days though, they would fill her with pills and all that amazing vision would have been lost.

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

I think both points that you raise are linked by her increasing insanity.

"I am ready"

The next level of whatever she saw as her ambitions, be it art, religion or human relationships.

I felt so very disappointed that he acquiesced to the doctor's opinion.

She was really off the richter by this stage and had said herself she had lost the yen to paint. I'd have probably gone along with the doctor's psychiatric evaluation. Uhde did the best he could given the set of circumstances with which he was presented.🐭