DIV 5

Summary

• Aschenbach discovers that there is Cholera in Venice
• Aschenbach continues to stalk Tadzio
• Musicians visit the hotel
• He tries a youthful new look
• The polish family prepare to leave
• Aschenbach dies

Themes/Motifs

• Sickness and death
• Scent
• Control
• secrecy and denial
• religion
• dirt and heat
• Black
• entrapment
• Dream vs Reality
• Rationality
• Degeneration
• love and obsession
• Red
• Suspicion
• White
• absurdity
• Nightmare
• Youth vs age
• Hourglass
• Time running out
• Authority and Control
• Guilt
• Fire
• God
• Banality exterminated
• Sound and Noise
• Desire and Lust
• Rejuvination
• Shame
• Grey
• Facade
• Heat
• Myth and deity
• seperation

Character

Aschenbach

Becomes increasingly obsessed with Tadzio. He also develops paranoia at his feelings being discovered and vanity at his age. He is becoming more and more a slave to Pleasure and ease rather than harsh logic as was his way. He feels that time is running out for him which is displayed in the image of the hourglass with rust red sand falling through it. His dream is also significant as he does not awake disgusted as one would think but instead resolved to stay in Venice with Tadzio in the land of dreams.

Tadzio

In this final chapter there are hints that tadzio returns Aschenbachs affection. He is frequently dressed in white, the colour of purity and innocence.

Miscellaneous

The Musician once again has red hair and is described as snub nosed ( a Nietsche reference?) He seems to highlight the absurdity of Aschenbach's and the tourists predicaments. By reflecting an exaggereated cameo he depicts to the reader how foolish the tourists are.

Narrative Voice

frequent references to scent, especially of discenfecant or sickness. Towards the end of the chapter ordinary things are described with adjectives connotating, heat, oppressiveness and sickness. This depicts Aschenbach's failing health and is a good example of how Mann can be telling the story from Aschenbach's point of view.

Setting

Crumbling sick Venice is still the setting. The facade of dreams appears to be falling yet Aschenbach denies this and strives to hang onto his dream of remaining in magical Venice with its vast freedom of being a tourist, with Tadzio, the forbidden fruit.