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This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 3 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 6 minutes
"Death in Venice" is a 1912 novella by Thomas Mann, featuring Gustav von Aschenbach, a writer who becomes increasingly obsessed with a Polish boy named Tadzio during his visit to Venice. Aschenbach's fascination with Tadzio grows into an intense and unspoken obsession, leading to a series of internal conflicts and realizations. Mann's inspiration for the story came from various experiences, including the death of composer Gustav Mahler and his observation of a Polish boy named Władzio during a vacation in Venice. The novella is rich with allusions to Greek antiquity, German works, and the contrast between Apollo and Dionysus. It also alludes to the real Tadzio, who was based on a Polish boy named Władysław Moes. The story has been translated into English by various translators and has been adapted into a film, an opera, and a stage production. "Death in Venice" explores themes of passion, obsession, and the relationship between life and mind, making it a significant work in literature.
