Babettes Feast

Babettes Feast is about two sisters named Martine and Philippa who are the daughters of a pastor who founded his own religious sect. They prove to be very selfless and caring throughout the movie. The sisters had given up their chance at romance and fame in their earlier days but had always ended up taking refuge in their religion. One night a woman refugee named Babette from Paris fled to Denmark with the help of her nephew, Achille Papin. Achille sent a personal letter asking for the girls to take care of her. The girls take her in and Babette works as a cook and a housekeeper. Babette spends 14 years as their cook but keeps ties in Paris so that her friend can renew her lottery ticket every year. This proves to be very fortunate in the end which contributes to an extensive feast that shows Babettes gratitude towards the sisters. This movie is sacramental, Eucharistic, and a symbol of love.

Many people say that this movie is sacramental because Gods love reaches out to us in body and soul. One day after all the years Babette had been working for the sisters she receives a letter saying she has won the lottery. The sisters believe Babette is going to leave but she insists on cooking a proper French meal. Babette does this through her gift to the community which is the feast, and the feast is the Lord's Supper. Babette's gift to the sisters and their community is the gift of grace it was unasked for and unearned but through her selflessness she saw it fit. The feast was more than just a meal it showed the community the true meaning of faith which is shown to be more than just what they believe, but also what they do and the love they put into it. Also the fact that there are twelve at the table reflects the last supper. And each group of twelve are in some ways disciples. This movie has a lot of sacramental aspects in it which contribute to the overall sacramental feeling of the movie.

One major way you could classify Babette as Christ-like is the fact that Christ and Babette were both foreigners who came to serve the people around them. Babette is also like Christ in her unselfish sacrifice of everything she had in order to benefit everyone else but herself. She spent the entire amount that she won from the lottery on this meal and I think this was a very good thing to show all the villagers. If one person could be so selfless and sacrifice everything she owns then everyone else could use this Christian virtue and sacrifice a little of their own too. Once again Babette shows how she is Christ-like