Metaphor and imagery may not be for everyone - but for me, it is an intrinsic part of this story.
From a personal perspective, I was humbled to discover that in The Queen’s Gambit I have encountered one of the most beautiful masterpieces of fiction to this day, albeit slightly removed from US and USSR Cold War chess-world historical fact. Yet, being fiction paralleled with reality, perhaps a more powerful story and the message that it brings is able to be delivered than historical fact itself might provide.
For me, the Queen’s Gambit is not only about the joy, challenge, humanity and beauty of chess - these attributes and more are utilised to create the foundation for something greater. It is not only about overcoming addiction - whether that addiction has been forced upon the innocent or whether it is a consequence of choice. It is not only about rising above life’s jarring knocks and its subtly-developing strangleholds. It is not only about uncertain mental soundness being associated with intellectual capacity and astounding gifts which manifest themselves to wondering eyes and minds. But because it is about all of these, it becomes something more.
This is the coming together of particular skills and passionate effort of a number of exceptionally talented people, from author to director, producer, costume designer, cast, film crew, lighting specialists, extras – the vision, plotting, planning, the ultimate blending and unification of all such endeavours hewn out from the rock of creative gifts from both the intellect and that inner being residing deep within, not least the bringing to life of the very real Beth Harmon by the one who became her in very thought, feeling and understanding, Anya Taylor-Joy. All this amalgamated together in an exquisite production of pure quality, creates for me as close to perfection as it gets. And this perfection culminates in the final scenes.
Remember the final appearance of the other orphanage queen, Jolene, who had refused to let her disadvantages prevent her from succeeding in a male-dominated mid-twentieth century world. How she heard about the victory of her self-declared blood-sister not only in the game against the existing chess master but, because of this, victory over the reverses on life’s playing-board of traps and pitfalls, now sealed by conquering the one and final stumbling block – the end game. Jolene’s words could have been the words which would place the crown firmly upon the queen’s head, cementing the prior conceding of the king - the handing over of the representative piece - by he who knew he had encountered the rightful owner: She was to take it, it was her game and nobody else’s.
So now, it is not simply about the white queen ruling herself instead of herself being ruled by circumstances, but it is about the whole board and all of its pieces finding the one uniting element – the perfected piece, the essential missing link. She wins, yes, but not at any cost. She does not care about being the colour that must move first; she resists the dogmatic requisites of a religious organisation to declare others inferior; she transcends the demands of State with its divisive patriotism by refusing to voice its agenda. No, she wins, but she wins for Mr Shaibel and the immense support of those who have backed her with their hearts, and in so doing she unites the ones who count, the ones she has not yet met – the essential pieces who must all be there so that the game may be played.
In the literal sense Beth has claimed the chess crown of the world – in a metaphysical sense she has hacked the necessary grappling hook into the mountainside of evolutionary endeavour to enable the raising of the whole race to a peak thus far unknown to it.
She removes herself from the car, knowing the area hosts what she has already passed through uncrowned – a real life chess board with living pieces who she has vivified and invigorated by her battles and final victory – pieces seated in squares within a larger square. She walks into the midst of the board where her own recognise her; where all pieces, heads once lowered, are overjoyed - and who relish her presence, eager to greet her in heartfelt gratitude and admiration for what she has done for them.
There is a wall of well-wishers consisting of the other greeting pieces who have come to welcome her from their various squares on the chess board. The wall parts in unison to reveal a seated, smiling, knowing old man. He is representing, by consensus, who she really cares about.
Yet, whether members of the humanity that the old man represents recognise it or not, as an inextricably linked macrocosmic consequence, he also represents the humankind that has just been raised up to a new plateau by her unique and unparalleled victory over not only the greatest grandmaster in the world, but also over the difficulties she has encountered from the tragic circumstances of orphanhood to the downward spiral aided by intrusive mental images and obsessive addiction.
She had sacrificed her assistance, whether it be chemical or whether it be that which opposes her own sensitivities and morality. Under these self-imposed conditions in order to be centred in the power necessary to win, she had begun the only game which would enable her to achieve her ultimate goal - not just to win the game of chess but also to win the game of life. It is surrendering the lesser to gain the centre ground on the board - a queen’s gambit.
She is now at the centre of those who recognise and applaud her contribution; she has finally arrived; she has found the freedom that has always eluded her but which deep-down she knew was there; she had previously stated that she feels safe in a world of 64 squares, and now the whole world for her had actually become a chess board. All is complete.
The old man gestures in a polite yet commanding sweep of his arm for her to take a seat, the same kind as his seat, and yet the one seat reserved for the queen at the centre of the game of life. There is no need to heed the world’s practicalities now - yesterday and tomorrow have no place here. This is the only moment that matters now, yes, the only moment that exists. Let’s enjoy a serious game!
