Babette's Feast is a movie that reflects the Protestant ethic and a small town in which pleasure and desire are shunned. It pushes the boundaries that are presented by a small Protestant town. Babette, a Catholic and a foreigner, comes into the house of Philippa and Martina, and is taken in as a maid to the two sisters. Although both Philippa and Martina are presented with chances to leave this small, oppressive town, they both decide to spend their lives taking care of their father until his death and carrying on his word as the pastor of the town's small Protestant church. This town is sullen and almost cult-like under its religious umbrella.
After agreeing to allow Babette to cook a feast to commemorate the 100th anniversary of their father's birth, Philippa and Martina grow concerned about what she might do with the food. We see through the movie that food in this town is purely for physical nutrition rather than for its pleasurable tastes. Babette changes this as she cooks a multiple-course meal that is more extravagant with its flavors than ever experienced by the townspeople.
This meal is transformational, bringing those together who have been quarreling for years. This meal presented an amount of pleasure that seemed to surpass everything imaginable for these townspeople. Prior to the meal, guests seemed nervous and promised not to discuss whatever happened during their dinner however, even with every moral fiber in their bodies, they were unable to resist the sensual pleasure that was presented by Babette's feast.
In this puritanical society, these faithful church-goers were overwhelmed by the threat that Babette posed with her feast. They did not want to be punished for enjoying too much earthly pleasure, as they have always been taught that doing so was sinful. However, as soon as the alcohol is consumed and the food is tasted, it seems that these townspeople enjoy the feast in ways that surpass taste, the feast captivates everyone in an all-encompassing sensory frenzy.
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