Trapped
The film starts out by showing us exquisite compositional frames that hint at the overall story of the movie. One imagery, in particular, is that of Justine in her wedding dress trying to walk across the frame but is struggling due to some vines and roots having caught her legs. This imagery foreshadows the suffocation Justine starts to feel at her wedding and is left with a fear of being trapped. Her parent’s behavior also strengthens her fear of being trapped in an unwanted situation.
Smile
When John and Justine have a brief talk during the wedding, we see John stressing the amount of money he has spent on the wedding. And he tells Justine that after this she better be happy. After John leaves, we see Justine fixing her dress and then giving a fake and forced smile. This imagery of her giving that smile cements her situation of being made to feel happy forcefully and not actually being given emotional support and no one understanding her illness.
Acceptance
When Melancholia is just about to collide with Earth, we see Justine with her back faced towards the looming planet holding hands with Claire and Leo. This imagery shows how Justine has accepted the illness that she faces, her depression which is symbolized by the aptly named planet Melancholia. She sits calmly with her back towards it, highlighting her acceptance to the coming danger. When Melancholia is just about to collide with Earth, we see Justine with her back faced towards the looming planet holding hands with Claire and Leo. This imagery shows how Justine has accepted the illness that she faces, her depression which is symbolized by the aptly named planet Melancholia. She sits calmly with her back towards it, highlighting her acceptance to the coming danger.
Magic Cave
Just before the planet Melancholia hits Earth, we see Justine, her sister and Leo sitting under a wood stick made a bare tent. This imagery represents their final attempt at putting up a barrier of comfort against the inevitable. This imagery also shows us the human habit of finding comfort in superficial things.
Ophelia
The first shots of the film are a collection of slow-motion compositions with very deliberate framing. The imagery of Justine in her wedding dress drowning in the river references John Everett Millais’s painting Ophelia, which in turn is a painting of a depression haunted character in Hamlet.
