Victor is introduced by means of voice-over narration (Jesper Hoffmeyer) as a young artist of Jewish descent who has shunned his heritage.
Further details are provided, including the fact that he was called a wimp at one point in his life, which led to a dread of weakness and incompetence.
Victor believes that he must keep his mind busy and therefore decides to cultivate his love for Eliza, a young nurse he encounters during his stay at a sanatorium.
Whilst in residence at the sanatorium, Victor observes the intimate friendship between Eliza and her female friend, also a nurse.
He is wheeled through the gardens of the sanatorium by one of the nurses, potentially Eliza, towards whom he expresses a tenderness by clasping her hand.
Arriving at a tree, the nurse gathers handfuls of blossoms, which she begins to gently sprinkle onto Victor's hair.
Leaving Victor seated in his chair, the nurses walk into the distance, with Eliza's friend retrieving from her pocket a condom, prompting laughter from both.
Eliza dashes back to Victor, who is still seated, and wheels him along, harshly dusting the blossoms from his head in the process.
In the following scene he intensely studies the former nurse brushing her hair and applying cream to her face; as she hums the melody of Lili Marleen, Victor runs his hands along the outline of the head and shoulders, never directly touching her skin.
Victor is shown wearing female attire, applying make-up once more, gazing into his tabletop mirror.
In an abrupt change of pace, the next scene shows Victor running frantically down an enclosed street, collapsing as he reaches a dead end.
The camera cuts to a wide shot, revealing that the female companion is not clothed except for trousers and a tie; she presents Victor with a whip, which she begins to coat with a viscous substance followed by a white, granular powder.
After removing a formal jacket and bowtie, revealing that he is wearing gardener overalls, he retrieves a cap from inside of the coffin situated in the back of the hearse and then attends to work in the nursery.