Doctor Elise: Regret and Atonement

Hi everyone! Here we are! The first official post after a long hiatus. Today, we will begin exploring some themes in Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp. This anime is part of the Winter 2024 lineup. At the time of this post, it is about two episodes deep.

A Little About The Show

Although I won’t review the show episode by episode, I want to explain the story briefly. When the show begins, we are with renowned surgeon Aoi Tanaka. Tanaka’s determination to help as many people as possible makes her respected in her field. The reason for her determination lies in her previous life. There, she is noblewoman Elise de Clorance. In her life as Elise, Aoi was spoiled and cruel. Her cruelty led to the death of her family and some of her subjects and her eventual execution. That is when she reincarnated as Aoi.

Summoned to Germany, Aoi hops on a plane, and the plane malfunctions and crashes. Aoi saves as many lives as she can before succumbing to her injuries. When she comes to, she is Elise again. With this second chance, Elise wants to right the wrongs that led to many deaths.

Regrets

We all have things we regret. It could be as trivial as overeating at dinner to something as extreme as harming or killing a loved one. Interestingly, we do not feel regret until we have suffered the consequences of our actions.

At any moment before her execution, Elise could’ve changed. She could’ve decided to be a kinder, more considerate person. It took burning at the stake and reincarnation for her to realize, “Hey, maybe I should be less of an a-hole.” But when it comes to regret, this is often the case. An article in Psychology Today tells us that “the pain of regret can result in refocusing and taking corrective action or pursuing a new path” ¹. I’m sure nothing is more painful than burning alive.

Atonement

What is atonement? The Oxford dictionary tells us that it is “reparation for a wrong or injury”². It is a way of fixing it, whatever it is. This atonement could come in many forms. In recent years, a person sitting in front of a camera with “puppy dog” eyes saying that they are “learning and growing” and will “work on educating themselves” on the offended party’s culture. But you never hear of that person writing a check, reading a book, or getting out into the community. This is the modern version of atonement, an empty and performative apology.

Then, you have Aoi/Elise. Even in her new life as Aoi, she is passionate about righting the wrongs of her past by helping the people in her present. And then, when she returns to the world of Elise, she brings that same atonement with her before the offense happens. Imagine if you could go back and fix some significant mistakes you’ve made in your life. Imagine being given a second chance to be better and wiser or even positively impact your world. What a gift!

Wrapping It Up

Well, that’s all for Elise for now. Next time, we discuss when obsession is good for you and the people around you. I will talk to you then!

Footnotes:

1.Greenberg, Melanie. “The Psychology of Regret.” Psychology Today, 2012, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201205/the-psychology-regret.
2.“Atonement – Quick Search Results | Oxford English Dictionary.” Oed.com, 2023, www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=atonement. Accessed 21 Jan. 2024.