Conceptualization of Illness in the Artistic Text (The White Disease by Karel Čapek)

Abstract

The paper deals with the conceptualization of the concept of nemoc [illness] in Karel Čapek’s allegorical drama The White Disease. In this work, illness serves not only a narrative function but also a deeper interpretive role as a symbol of social decay and moral crisis. Similar to the traditional linguistic worldview, nemoc is perceived as an antonym to zdraví [health], associated with negatively evaluated phenomena such as death, old age, decay, ugliness, etc. The dominant metaphor is ILLNESS IS WAR, which is common not only in Czech but also in other languages. This schema includes other subsidiary metaphors such as DISEASE IS AN ENEMY, DOCTOR IS A WARRIOR, and CURE IS VICTORY. The text also features other conceptualizations, such as the metaphor DISEASE IS A DIVINE PUNISHMENT, which highlights human helplessness. Disease also appears in the work as a source domain of metaphors from the political realm, such as THE STATE IS A LIVING ORGANISM, THE LEADER IS A DOCTOR, and UNDESIRABLE SOCIAL PHENOMENA ARE DISEASES.