Introduction
The Physician is a German movie released in 2013, based on a historical novel by an American novelist Noah Gordon. The movie’s plot is about a man whose mother died from sickness during his childhood, and he vows to travel the world to study medicine. The plot essentially repeats the argumentative tradition of The Epic of Gilgamesh. The resemblance is found in the story’s narration, the characters’ roles, the themes, and the moral lesson.
Main body
Both Robert, the main character of The Physician, and Gilgamesh are gifted with extraordinary powers, stated at the beginning of both stories. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh befriends Enkidu, who was sent to slay Gilgamesh but then later becomes civilized. However, gods decide to sentence Enkidu to death: “The day he had the dream [his strength] was exhausted, / Enkidu was cast down, he lay one day sick [and then a second]” (The Epic of Gilgamesh, 2100 BC/2000). In The Physician, Robert loses his mother, who dies from sickness. At the same time, Robert possesses an ability to sense people’s terminal illnesses, much like Gilgamesh’s superhuman strength; both of the characters fail to protect their close ones. In other words, despite being favored by gods and envied by other mortals, the stories encapsulate how the mere presence of supernatural powers is not enough without the knowledge.
Enkidu dies because of sickness, and Gilgamesh’s grief pushes him on a journey to discover the secret to immortality. Robert’s mother dies at the beginning of the movie, becoming the motivation for Robert to pursue his goal to possess the knowledge of medicine. In that sense, her character archetype resembles Enkidu’s because their death initiates the character development of Gilgamesh and Robert. The act of journey symbolizes the life path and endless strive for knowledge in the name of love. Essentially, the tradition of this narrative reflects the desire of humanity for the immortality of themselves and their loved ones. The physical journey juxtaposes with the mental journey the characters go through; the audience sees the characters’ development as they travel across the world, savoring new experiences from different backgrounds. Abusch (2015) explains how the epic touches the subject of human drive: “the value of friendship,” “the experience of loss,” “the inevitability of death” (p. 127). The Physician adopts the canons of storytelling and explores the themes of human nature through the symbolism of a journey, much like Gilgamesh’s path.
Even though the stories end somewhat differently, there is a certain level of similarity between them. Gilgamesh failed his mission to obtain immortality, and he returned to his city, where he died. Robert manages to acquire the skill of performing an appendectomy, the talent that could have saved his mother’s life, and returns to Europe. However, neither of the heroes could bring their loved ones from the Underworld. The theme of continuity of life and the frailty of humanity in the eyes of the divine appears at the beginning of the stories and resurfaces as a moral lesson at the end. Despite that Robert stayed true to his vow and fulfilled his aim, it does not erase the grief from the loss he experienced.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Physician honors the tradition of a linear narrative and the theme of humanity’s desire for knowledge. Robert, blessed with the divine power, and doomed by the fate of all mortals, has to overcome the journey to come out as a better man. Gilgamesh, unlearning the ways of tyranny from Enkidu, also becomes a better hero. Therefore, by employing specific characteristics of the classical epic storytelling, The Physician manages to stay both unique and familiar to the audience.
References
Abusch, T. (2015). “The development and meaning of The Epic of Gilgamesh: An interpretive essay.” Male and Female in the Epic of Gilgamesh, 127–143. Web.
The epic of Gilgamesh (A. George, Trans.). (2100 BC). Penguin Books. (2000).