Decalogue 8

I love stories of redemption. I think it’s beautiful when a person is given a chance to redeem himself from a poor decision made in the past. I found the eighth Decalogue to be a lovely story of redemption, and the director uses imagery to convey it.

Elizabeth returns to Poland to confront her past and understand what happened during her childhood when she, a young Jewish girl, was refused refuge by a Catholic couple during the Nazi occupation. She approaches Marta, the woman who calmly refused her shelter, by appearing in her university ethics class and sharing her story in an anonymous way, presenting it as an ethical dilemma. The Catholic couple refused to help the little Jewish girl because they said it went against their conscious. They knew God called them to be charitable, but He also commanded them not to “bear false witness” and they thought it would be going against that command to hide the girl. Marta recognizes that she is the Catholic woman in the story, and as she talks with Elizabeth after class she learns that she is the young Jewish girl! Marta is overcome with gratitude that she is alive, and invites her to dinner.

Elizabeth’s memory was very detailed, and she remembered drinking tea that the woman set out on her table. She also remembered standing in the gateway of their house and finally feeling safe.

The first time the redemption theme became apparent to me was after Marta brought Elizabeth to her house and set out tea. The camera focused in on Elizabeth holding the tea, and slowly panned out as she brought the cup to her lips. This image immediately brought to my mind her memory of drinking this woman’s tea many years ago; Marta was given a second chance to serve Elizabeth tea, and redeemed herself by the outcome.

After they finished dinner, Marta invited Elizabeth to stay the night. This was a powerful moment, because Marta was finally doing what she didn’t do thirty years before: she sheltered Elizabeth and gave her a place to sleep. In a later scene, Marta looks into Elizabeth's room and watches her pray. The image again reminded me of what could have been in the past, but what was now able to take place.

The redemption is further carried out when Marta is able to tell Elizabeth the full story, how she and her husband were involved with the underground movement and believed the people transporting her were with the Gestapo. They didn’t reject her based on the principle of obeying the commandment against lying, but rather to save many other lives. It didn’t necessarily justify their actions, but at least Elizabeth knew the deeper reason for the rejection.

And finally, the redemption is complete when the women become friends and share genuine love and kindness towards each other. Marta was finally able to give Elizabeth the sanctuary and care she refused her years ago, and Elizabeth was able to show Marta forgiveness.

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