Ingmar Bergman's Persona
What different masks do you wear that both reveal and conceal?
In Ingmar Bergman's masterpiece, Persona, the character played by Liv Ullmann, Elisabeth and the nurse, Alma, played by Bibi Andersson are one and the same person. They are "split" when the actress does not want to act any more, and retires to her own self. The term "does not want to act" depicts two things: firstly, she does not want to act as a job, and secondly, in a more distant, but more appropriate interpretation, she does not want to act to the outside world. The nurse is nothing more than the outside appearance of the same person—this is why Mr. Vogler recognizes her (and not Elisabeth) as Mrs. Vogler. Elisabeth is the inner self of the same person: she is a quiet, strong personality. This interpretation is suggested by the director when the two half-faces of the nurse and Elisabeth are put together into one picture, one face.
Bergman appropriately chose the title, Persona which is the Greek word for mask......
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Ingmar Bergman'S Persona
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