| "The Gospel according to Mark" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jorge Luis Borges |
| Original title | "El Evangelio según Marcos" |
| Country | Argentina |
| Language | Spanish |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy, short story |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 1970 |
"The Gospel according to Mark" (originally in Spanish "El Evangelio según Marcos") is a short story by the Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges. It is one of the stories in the short story collection Doctor Brodie's Report (originally in Spanish El informe de Brodie), first published in 1970.
A kindly but indifferent young medical student on holiday gets trapped at a cousin's house in Argentina during the rainy season. He helps the family patriarch to stop the roof leaking by installing some heavy rafters.
To pass the time he begins reading to the illiterate farm family that works at the house, though out of the few books available, the only one that manages to keep their attention is an old dusty Bible. The family is captivated by the crucifixion and the idea of salvation from earthly strife. The young doctor sleeps with an unnamed woman without speaking a word. Later, they crucify the young doctor with the rafters from the roof.
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