Death in The Seventh Seal

In the movie The Seventh Seal, Death says to Antonius Block, “I have been for a long time at your side”.  The two decide to play chess together with the understanding that as long as Block resists his advances, he will live. At one point during their game, Death confesses that he has no secrets and is unknowing. This characterization of Death has caused me to wonder about the writer or director’s experience with death in their life and their conception of it. I find this characterization of Death as unknowing and possessing no secrets as quite surprising. In my understanding, Death is typically conceived of as the ultimate secret keeper and far from unknowing. Perhaps I’m an unusual cause - though I don’t believe I am - but, I have often wondered how I am going to die, and a few times been convinced - by circumstances - that I had my answer. I really love the imagery of Death leading the characters in a dance. I feel that’s very much what it’s like walking through life, at least mine anyway. Our bodies are so fragile and delicate that death seems always a little too close for comfort. Our bodies are growing old and decaying from the moment we are born. We catch a simple head cold or the flu and our bodies are down for the count, our lives are more or less paused, we miss classes and retreat under the covers. I think this can be viewed as a sort of dance, with subtle movements - where we are reminded of our mortality - and countermovements. For some, this dance may be fairly calm and even in cadence, with gentle and predictable rises and falls, perhaps something like a waltz. For others, this dance may be more aggressive in nature, with sharp and unexpected movements led by a partner that come across as abrupt and hostile, in this case perhaps more like an argentine tango or paso doble.