Dan Mayer

Thomas Mann

Death in Venice

Gustav von Aschenbach is a artist that works purely from the form and doesn't allow his emotions into his work. He has repressed his emotions for so long and when he finally decided to go on a trip to Venice for expansion of his arts, his emotions take over. The emotions begin to control Gustav von Aschenbach until his emotions are the only thing running his life. The emotions destroy his common sense and eventually lead to his death in Venice.

The story i think symbolizes the problems with taking anything to extremes. The beginning of the story the artist will not let any of his emotions into his art. This is hurting and weakening the art he can produce. The holding back of all of ones emotions may work for awhile to keep one safe but eventually the emotions will need to escape. The emotions not being allowed into his life, work, or art was beginning to build on him. In this way I think Thomas Mann is showing that we all need emotions to be apart of our lives. We all need emotions to be expressed.

The story then shows that as Gustav von Aschenbach lets his emotions have just enough control to allow him to take a trip for the first time in years. The emotions once they have had a chance to be released are unstoppable after being bottled up to long. The character then goes to the other extreme. He becomes entirely driven by his own emotions. There is nothing he can do to regain the control he once kept them in. He can not allow himself to leave the city. He can't return to his normal work and lifestyle. Even when there is looming danger he can't take control of his life again. When a person is working entirely off of emotions they are no longer human. They fade into a almost animalistic lifestyle. Gustav von Aschenbach shows that with emotions running ones life there really is no longer the person there was before. There is only emotions with no ability behind it.

Thomas Mann clearly illustrates the need for control and order as well as for emotions and passion. The balance is shown through the eventual fall of Gustav von Aschenbach. Thomas Mann isn't showing the readers the perfect balance, only that there is a need for a balance in ones life. I think that this balance is different for everyone and that is why the balance can't be shown only the failure without a balance can be shown. So remember that next time the powers of emotions begin to take over you, there may be a reason to take a second look, it may not be in your best interests to let emotions take control.