The breath of revolution: Illness and metaphor in the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevara

This article examines the chronic asthma of Ernesto “Che” Guevara not merely as a biomedical condition, but as a metaphorical and existential element of his revolutionary identity. Drawing on Aristotle’s theory of metaphor and S. Sontag’s cultural critique of illness, it explores how Guevara’s lifelong struggle with asthma shaped his medical vocation and informed his political radicalism. Through a close reading of primary sources—including Guevara’s letters, diaries, and biographical accounts—this study contextualizes his disease as both a personal crucible and a symbol of rebellion. The article situates Guevara within a lineage of physician-activists, alongside Albert Schweitzer and Frantz Fanon, to consider the transformative potential of embodied suffering in revolutionary praxis.