The Affects of Venice

Venice
When the reader is first introduced to the protagonist, Gustav Aschenbach, he is depicted as a serious older man devoted to his art. He does not have time for relaxation or frivolous pursuits. In fact he goes as far as to say that leisure makes him uneasy and restless. Yet when he goes to Venice he is influenced by his surroundings. Venice represents a fairy tale city and a sense of debauchery to Aschenbach. While there he begins to relinquish his pervious outlook on life and allows himself to become obsessed with Tadzio. He spends all of his time sitting and watching Tadzio or following the boy and his sisters around Venice. Previously he would have worked industriously on his art rather than wasting his time.

He goes as far as dyeing his hair and applying makeup to appear younger. Ironically making him like the older man he criticizes, for posing as a young man, on the boat to Venice. The city seems to make Aschenbach lose all sense of logic, so that he does not even choose to leave after being informed that there is an outbreak of cholera. He is so detached from reality that he decides to continue his new life of leisure and obsession with Tadzio even though it leads to his death.