When it was published in 1912, Mann’s novella
Der Tod in Venedig[
Death in Venice] was immediately recognized as a “perfect marvel” and among the “best German prose” of its time. It tells the story of the writer Gustav von Aschenbach who travels to Venice, where he falls in love with an adolescent boy before subsequently dying in the cholera-stricken city. Mann’s masterly command of language and play with mythology, his psychological profile of the artistic mind, and the novella’s contrast between cold artistic discipline and the power of love has generated great admiration. For decades, the novella has captured the attention and imagination of readers and artists alike. Luchino Visconti presented a cinematic adaptation in 1971 which changed Aschenbach into a composer, while…
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Citation: Mundt, Hannelore G.. "Der Tod in Venedig". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 September 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11469, accessed 23 November 2024.]
