Death In Venice
Emma Fisher
Brother Williams
English 251
Transformation from Apollonian to Dionysian
Writers often bring mythology into their writing to give the storyline and characters more depth and complexity. In Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, Mann uses the gods Apollo and Dionysus and the struggle between opposites to demonstrate the ultimate downfall of the novella’s main character, Aschenbach. Often times, a writer creates a character as a representation of the Apollonian character and another separate character representing the Dionysian character of the novel. Thomas Mann chose to have the same character, Aschenbach, demonstrate the extremes of both ends of the spectrum, beginning as overly Apollonian and slowly becoming overly Dionysian which led to his tragic death. Aschenbach has lived in what can be called a largely Apollonian life and is confronted with the other aspect of his nature-- the Dionysian. By alluding to Apollo and Dionysus through Aschenbach throughout the entirety of the novella, Mann successfully brings a greater depth and complexity to Aschenbach and the story as a whole.
Mann communicates through his writing that the conflict between our conscious will and our uncontrolled passions is the ultimate struggle one must overcome. Apollo is the god of light and form, and stands as a symbol of reason and structure. Dionysus contrasts his brother as the god of intoxication and extravagance, consequently symbolizing irrational and chaotic behavior. The Greek believed it necessary to have a balance of both Apollonian and Dionysian lifestyles and when this balance is disrupted, trouble quickly ensues normally leading to one’s ultimate downfall (Nietzsche). Aschenbach, the main character of Death in Venice, begins the novella at one side of the extreme as overly Apollonian and, as the novella progresses, gives into passion and immorality, engrossing himself in the Dionysian lifestyle. His descent toward decadent passion ultimately leads him to his tragic fate
Brother Williams
English 251
Transformation from Apollonian to Dionysian
Writers often bring mythology into their writing to give the storyline and characters more depth and complexity. In Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, Mann uses the gods Apollo and Dionysus and the struggle between opposites to demonstrate the ultimate downfall of the novella’s main character, Aschenbach. Often times, a writer creates a character as a representation of the Apollonian character and another separate character representing the Dionysian character of the novel. Thomas Mann chose to have the same character, Aschenbach, demonstrate the extremes of both ends of the spectrum, beginning as overly Apollonian and slowly becoming overly Dionysian which led to his tragic death. Aschenbach has lived in what can be called a largely Apollonian life and is confronted with the other aspect of his nature-- the Dionysian. By alluding to Apollo and Dionysus through Aschenbach throughout the entirety of the novella, Mann successfully brings a greater depth and complexity to Aschenbach and the story as a whole.
Mann communicates through his writing that the conflict between our conscious will and our uncontrolled passions is the ultimate struggle one must overcome. Apollo is the god of light and form, and stands as a symbol of reason and structure. Dionysus contrasts his brother as the god of intoxication and extravagance, consequently symbolizing irrational and chaotic behavior. The Greek believed it necessary to have a balance of both Apollonian and Dionysian lifestyles and when this balance is disrupted, trouble quickly ensues normally leading to one’s ultimate downfall (Nietzsche). Aschenbach, the main character of Death in Venice, begins the novella at one side of the extreme as overly Apollonian and, as the novella progresses, gives into passion and immorality, engrossing himself in the Dionysian lifestyle. His descent toward decadent passion ultimately leads him to his tragic fate
Cited: Nietzsche, Friedrich. "Apollo vs. Dionysus." Nietzsche on the Apollonian and the Dionysian. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.