Thomas Mann's Death in Venice: A Novella and Its Critics (Studies in German Literature Linguistics and Culture)

Thomas Mann's 1912 novella Death in Venice is one of the most famous and widely read texts in all of modern literature, raising such issues as beauty and decadence, eros and irony, and aesthetics and morality. The amount and variety of criticism on the work is enormous, and ranges from psychoanalytic criticism and readings inspired by Mann's own homosexuality to inquiries into the place of the novella in Mann's oeuvre, its structure and style, and its symbolism and politics. Critics have also drawn connections between the novella and works of Plato, Euripides, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Platen, Wagner, Nietzsche, Gide, and Conrad. Ellis Shookman surveys the reception of Death in Venice, analyzing several hundred books, articles, and other reactions to the novella, proceeding in a chronological manner that allows a historical perspective. Critics cited include Heinrich Mann, Hermann Broch, D. H. Lawrence, Karl Kraus, Kenneth Burke, Georg Luk?cs, Wolfgang Koeppen, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Thomas Mann himself. Particular attention is paid to Luchino Visconti's film, Benjamin Britten's opera, and to other more recent creative adaptations, both in Germany and throughout the world. Ellis Shookman is associate professor of German at Dartmouth College. This Study Surveys And Analyzes The Reception Of One Of The Most Famous And Most Widely Read Stories In All Of Modern Literature. It Treats Over Seven Hundred Books, Articles, And Other Reactions To Mann's Death In Venice Thematically Yet Within Five Chronological Categories. This Comprehensive Chronological Approach Helps Put The Extensive Criticism And Scholarship On Mann's Story Into Literary And Historical Perspective. Issues Raised In The Interpretations Discussed Include Art And Artists, Myths, Sources, Symbols, Style, And Narrative Structure. Those Issues Also Include Politics, Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, Homoeroticism, Music, And Translations. Comparisons Of Death In Venice To Mann's Other Writings Are Considered, As Are Comparisons To Works By Authors Such As Euripides, Plato, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Platen, Nietzsche, Gide, Conrad, D'annunzio, And Mishima. Among The Critics, Scholars, And Reviewers Cited Are Heinrich Mann, Hermann Broch, D.h. Lawrence, Georg Lukacs, Lionel Trilling, Wolfgang Koeppen, Susan Sontag, Allan Bloom, Camille Paglia, And Mario Vargas Llosa. Special Attention Is Paid To Luchino Visconti's Film Morte A Venezia, To Benjamin Britten's Opera Death In Venice, And To Other Artistic Adaptations Of Mann's Story.--jacket. 1. Initial Reactions, 1913-14 -- 2. Increasing Acceptance, 1915-55 -- 3. Posthumous Praise, 1956-75 -- 4. Further Developments, 1976-95 -- 5. Recent Trends, 1996-2001. Ellis Shookman. Includes Bibliographical References (pp. [249]-297) And Index. Thomas Mann's 1912 novella Death in Venice is one of the most famous and widely read texts in all of modern literature, raising such issues as beauty and decadence, eros and irony, and aesthetics and morality. The amount and variety of criticism on the work is enormous, and ranges from psychoanalytic criticism and readings inspired by Mann's own homosexuality to inquiries into the place of the novella in Mann's oeuvre, its structure and style, and its symbolism and politics. Critics have also drawn connections between the novella and works of Plato, Euripides, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Platen, Wagner, Nietzsche, Gide, and Conrad. Ellis Shookman surveys the reception of Deathin Venice, analyzing several hundred books, articles, and other reactions to the novella, proceeding in a chronological manner that allows a historical perspective. Critics cited include Heinrich Mann, Hermann Broch, D. H. Lawrence, Karl Kraus, Kenneth Burke, Georg Lukcs, Wolfgang Koeppen, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Thomas Mann himself. Particular attention is paid to Luchino Visconti's film, Benjamin Britten's opera, and to other more recent creative adaptations, both in Germany and throughout the world. Ellis Shookman is associate professor of German at Dartmouth College. Table of Contents Introduction 1: Initial Reactions, 1913-14 2: Increasing Acceptance, 1915-55 3: Posthumous Praise, 1956-75 4: Further Developments, 1976-95 5: Recent Trends, 1996-2001 Conclusion Bibliography Index Study of the critical reception of one of the most famous and widely read works of modern literature.Thomas Mann's 1912 novella Death in Venice is one of the most famous and widely read texts in all of modern literature, raising such issues as beauty and decadence, eros and irony, and aesthetics and morality. The amount and variety of criticism on the work is enormous, and ranges from psychoanalytic criticism and readings inspired by Mann's own homosexuality to inquiries into the place of the novella in Mann's oeuvre, its structure and style, and its symbolism and politics. Critics have also drawn connections between the novella and works of Plato, Euripides, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Platen, Wagner, Nietzsche, Gide, and Conrad. Ellis Shookman surveys the reception of Deathin Venice, analyzing several hundred books, articles, and other reactions to the novella, proceeding in a chronological manner that allows a historical perspective. Critics cited include Heinrich Mann, Hermann Broch, D. H. Lawrence, Karl Kraus, Kenneth Burke, Georg Lukàcs, Wolfgang Koeppen, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Thomas Mann himself. Particular attention is paid to Luchino Visconti's film, Benjamin Britten's opera, and to other more recent creative adaptations, both in Germany and throughout the world. Ellis Shookman is associate professor of German at Dartmouth College. Thomas Mann's 1912 Novella Death In Venice Is One Of The Most Famous And Widely Read Texts In All Of Modern Literature, Raising Such Issues As Beauty And Decadence, Eros And Irony, And Aesthetics And Morality. The Amount And Variety Of Criticism On The Work Is Enormous, And Ranges From Psychoanalytic Criticism And Readings Inspired By Mann's Own Homosexuality To Inquiries Into The Place Of The Novella In Mann's Oeuvre, Its Structure And Style, And Its Symbolism And Politics. Critics Have Also Drawn Connections Between The Novella And Works Of Plato, Euripides, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Platen, Wagner, Nietzsche, Gide, And Conrad. Ellis Shookman Surveys The Reception Of Death In Venice, Analyzing Several Hundred Books, Articles, And Other Reactions To The Novella, Proceeding In A Chronological Manner That Allows A Historical Perspective. Critics Cited Include Heinrich Mann, Hermann Broch, D. H. Lawrence, Karl Kraus, Kenneth Burke, Georg Lukacs, Wolfgang Koeppen, Mario Vargas Llosa, And Thomas Mann Himself. Particular Attention Is Paid To Luchino Visconti's Film, Benjamin Britten's Opera, And To Other More Recent Creative Adaptations, Both In Germany And Throughout The World. Ellis Shookman Is Associate Professor Of German At Dartmouth College. CONTENTS ......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......Page 9 INTRODUCTION ......Page 10 1: Initial Reactions, 1913–14......Page 21 2: Increasing Acceptance, 1915–55......Page 53 3: Posthumous Praise, 1956–75......Page 92 4: Further Developments, 1976–95......Page 146 5: Recent Trends, 1996–2001......Page 228 CONCLUSION ......Page 250 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......Page 258 INDEX ......Page 308