Examine the tension between life 'in the city' and life 'in nature' as depicted in Ingmar Bergman's film Summer with Monika.

  I’ve already mentioned the use of soft cross dissolves and juxtaposition of acoustic differences, in the montage, but various other stylistic features are used too to give certain opinions of life in the city and life in nature. One obvious one is how stylised the urban shots are, the scene where Harry is at work and about to quit his job is the most obvious example. A straight cut, suggesting the uniformity of his work life (again a negative reflection of what city life offers), leads us into the scene where for the most part, the camera is stationery, just behind a shelf of glasses and perfectly framed to allow us to see all the characters at once without changing angle. Being positioned behind the glasses creates beautiful symbolism of how material possessions as encouraged with city life but get in the way of ‘seeing’ and appreciating real people. It reflects the fragility of job security in the competitive urban centres. However the simplicity and perfection of this shot does suggest that it was made in the studio and thus encourages the idea of the artificiality of life in the city. The scenes portraying life ‘in the natural’ on the other hand were shot on location and there was more panning involved in the scenes. The extra movement and longer shots in the ‘in nature’ scenes also shows represents life there as more inclusive. Whereas the city scenes were all very claustrophobic, the contrasting shots of wide open space give the feeling that the natural life is more of a complete world, not just a place of having separate places for separate people. However, the idea that it is city life which encourages private living isn’t reflected consistently throughout the text showing that Bergman isn’t entirely convinced that there is much tension and difference between the two lifestyles. This is best shown in the scene involving dancing.

  Just after half way thought the film the couple go to a dance, the couple are still in the country but for the first time there they are confronted with a large group of people. As soon as they enter the dance Monika makes reference to Harry being the best looking man there, and they proceed to dance. However, embarrassed of his lack of dance techniques suggests that they leave. This shows that the characters, regardless of where they are feel that there are expectations made of them, in this case being able to keep up to speed with popular dance. Another example involves the couple doing nothing but preen themselves whilst singing, thus even their natural life is guided by their need to feel they can present themselves to people. In this way Bergman is showing that city life and being in nature are similar, there isn’t actually that much tension between the two but as one setting provides more people for you to compare yourself too you find yourself noticing the encouragement to live in a certain way. This is also shown when the two first set off and Monika arrives in a perfectly co-ordinated outfit and two large suitcases; she is bringing the fashion and materialism to her new less refined life. This isn’t commented on in the film as being absurd, although obviously for the size of their boat and likeliness of human contact it is, instead I think it was shown to reflect that the two lifestyles don’t need to be perceived as so distinct, it is possible to mix the more favourable qualities of the two. Even though the film ends with the restored equilibrium of both characters again living their separate lives in the city showing that too much difference does end in failure, short extracts like this let us see that it isn’t definite that tensions need exist between the two lives.

  Early in the film the city is portrayed as a place of vice as Monika’s father is an alcoholic and Harry’s co-workers also turn to drink when things get stressful. In the countryside however vices are represented much more subtly. Theft occurs, but that is by Lelle, a city man. Drinking also occurs, however it is seen as a happy thing as the couple are merry and undisruptive. However, by this point we know that Monika is pregnant, therefore alcohol drinking is just as bad in natural surroundings as it is for her father to be drinking in the street. This isn’t made reference to though, perhaps showing that the natural life whilst on the surface may appear pleasant, provides just as much opportunity for shameful acts. Later when Monika steals the meat it could be represented as not that appalling as we know she needs it. However, she does still commit a criminal and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the tenants are city dwellers by week, showing that it isn’t fair to think of the city as being more amoral as it isn’t the urban or nature based lifestyle that dictates levels of politeness it completely the individual.

  The general plot itself is obviously used to depict tensions between the two lifestyles in contemporary Sweden. The fact that the couple see leaving the city and all the stress and discomfort it stands for, for the country which they see liberating and idyllic may be very representative of the view at the time as during the 50s industry began to decrease again thus decreasing living standards. The length of the city scenes are more activity filled and shorter, perhaps reflecting the rapid rural-urban immigration (by 1930 50% of the population lives in cities compared to 20%  fifty year previously). In the city neither character came from happy homes regardless of the fact that Harry was well off, although as we know the reason for this is the death of his mother Bergman again confuses the audience as to whether city life should be seen as negative. However, when Harry gets hit by Monika’s past lover we hear the sound of a train at exactly the same time, the pairing of violence with an iconic urban symbol forges a negative association. Also, the fact that Monika imitates the film they saw together in her dialogue and speed of falling in love, suggests that without these pretences, city life can seem empty. In the more natural surroundings the two characters never seem bored, even when there is less talking this is seen as a reflection of bliss not lack of enjoyment as the silence is filled with the sounds of the sea for example.

   Tensions are portrayed in this text by highlighting the differences between the two lifestyles and appearing to attempt making a judgment on which is more favourable. However, as there are various similarities, and it is acknowledged that even the seemingly charming natural lifestyle has its problems this text seems to suggest that the tensions between the two aren’t inevitable, and if you think realistically, aren’t even that significant.