35 pages • 1 hour read
Babette's Feast
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Symbols & Motifs
Food and Cooking
Food and cooking symbolize spiritual and physical nourishment in “Babette’s Feast.” Martine and Philippa tell Babette that “their own food must be as plain as possible,” for “to them luxurious fare was sinful” (15). It is part of their religion to not eat delicious or elaborate food, which is why Babette’s dinner is such a point of conflict for them and their Brothers and Sisters. Despite their reservations, they are spiritually uplifted by the feast, as is Loewenhielm. The food and drink smooths over all their interpersonal disputes, past regrets, and internal conflicts; it even helps them experience the “infinite grace” of God (38). Ultimately, the feast fills the gaps left in their lives by the Dean’s death, which Martine and Philippa struggled (and failed) to fill as his successors. Babette’s cooking even allows Martine and Philippa to overcome their religious prejudices against Babette and understand her better.
Singing
Singing is a motif that represents both earthly fame and spiritual transcendence. It’s both a source of spiritual devotion for Philippa and a point of conflict for her since she rejected the opportunity to become a great singer in Paris. Papin’s singing is the key to his fame, but the spiritual awakening he has when he hears Philippa sing shows that both aspects of singing are important to him. After the civil war, he realizes that spiritual fulfilment is more important than fame. He writes: “What is fame? What is glory? The grave awaits us all!” (13). He believes in life after death: “In Paradise I shall hear your voice again. […] There you will be the great artist that God meant you to be” (14). Thus, singing, an expression of artistry, is a worthy pursuit for its own sake, not just for the praise of other human beings. It is also how Philippa relates to Babette, who is also a great artist in her own right, at the end of the story.
The Turtle
The turtle Babette has shipped from France symbolizes everything foreign, uncomfortable, and unholy about Babette’s world to Martine, Philippa, and their congregation. The scene in which Martine discovers the turtle in the kitchen conveys her horror and dismay:
In the light of the lamp it looked like a greenish-black stone, but when set down on the kitchen floor it suddenly shot out a snake-like head and moved it slightly from side to side. Martine had seen pictures of tortoises […] but this thing was monstrous in size and terrible to behold (24).
The next day, she tells all her neighbors about the strange food they should expect at the dinner, and although she doesn’t “actually mention the turtle,” it is “present in her face and voice” (24). It is only until after they eat and enjoy Babette’s dinner that Martine realizes she has forgotten about the turtle entirely; she doesn’t even realize it was in an ingredient in the soup. This shows that the negative qualities the turtle represents for Martine are products of her own fears and anxieties, rather than being inherent in Babette or French culture.
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