Greek Mythology in Death in Venice by Thomas Mann

In this paper I will look to discuss Greek myths and how they are significant to Death in Venice and how these myths are used as metaphors within the novella. Myths and legends act as a form of moral regulation within society (Morford et al. 2013). They pose an extreme situation followed by what is deemed the â€Å"wrong choice† that is followed by extreme consequences to the character’s choice. Within Mann’s Death in Venice there are several instances of Greek mythology being used as metaphors that foreshadow various aspects in the book, such as Aschenbach’s impending death. The novella also makes comparisons between prominent Greek Gods and Myths, the Greek ideal to characters and situations in the novella. The first myth we encounter is†¦show more content†¦Because he was defeated he turned himself into a river, which is still known as the Achelous River in modern Greece (Morford et al. 2013). Nymphs are female deities who attend to the gods. Aschenbach refers to the river god and nymphs on page 83 because he is thinking of the walls in Athens and the relationship between Socrates and Phaedrus, which is a mentor-pupil relationship. Aschenbach sees himself as Socrates, an older wiser man who can guide and mentor young Tadzio in the ways of the world. This begins to change our view as readers of the relationship between Aschenbach and Tadzio from one fuelled by Eros and Cupid to one more innocent and philosophical. The next referenced Greek myth we come across is that of Semele and Zeus on page 84. Semele was a mortal princess who was one of many seduced by the god Zeus. She became pregnant and would give birth to the god Dionysus. Semele reaches a tragic end when she is killed by Zeus’s wife/sister Hera. Zeus however is able to save the baby Dionysus. Once Dionysus grows up, he ventures to the underworld to save his mother and arranges for her to live on Mt. Olympus with the Gods (Morford et al. 2013). Aschenbach refers to Semele and Zeus when he is reflecting on the beauty and spirituality he experiences when he looks at Tadzio (Mann 2004 pp. 84). He looks atShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in Thomas Manns Story \1621 Words   |  7 Pagestwentieth-century literature was Thomas Mann. Thomas Mann is famous for his economical writing. He does not waste a word: every detail he includes is significant, and every detail serves his strategy of suggesting, hinting, rather than directly telling. Without a doubt, Death in Venice by Thomas Mann is one of the greatest masterpieces of short fiction ever written. It tells the story of Gustav von Aschenbach, a successful but aging German writer who follows his wanderlust to Venice in search of spiritualRead MoreEssay on Death In Venice1006 Words   |  5 PagesWriters often bring mythology into their writing to give the storyline and characters more depth and complexity. 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