"For mark you, Phaedrus..."

Phaedrus in love

In Thomas Mann’s Death In Venice, the main character Gustave von Aschenbach is smitten with an adolescent boy Tadzio. More than once in the novel, after seeing Tadzio, Aschenbach rants to someone named Phaedrus. I was unfamiliar with that name, so I looked into who exactly he is and how he might lend some insight into Aschenbach, Tadzio, and their complicated relationship.

Phaedrus was a character in several of Socrates’ dialogues, written by Plato. Most notably, Phaedrus had a conversation with Socrates regarding the subject of love. They both give their own interpretations of what is love and what the course of action should be once under the spell of love. Socrates refers to the madness of love as a gift from the gods that must be celebrated. The example he uses to be the representation of true beauty is a boy that is being pursued by a, clearly older, lover. It’s no accident that Aschenbach chooses to use this analogy, not only is the pursuit of an adolescent accepted in this discussion, but on top of that the madness that comes with love is celebrated and accepted. Aschenbach engages in completely mad behavior due to his obsession with Tadzio, “he paused by his beloved’s chamber door in the second storey… remained there long, in utter drunkenness, powerless to tear himself away, blind to the danger of being caught in so mad an attitude,” (Death in Venice, Thomas Mann). Aschenbach has been driven crazy by Tadzio, but instead of castigating himself, he harkens back to a conversation written by one of the greatest, classical philosophers that approves and encourages his illogical behavior. Socrates claims that some of the best things in life flow from madness. And madness is what Aschenbach embodies. In his monologue/dream, he states, “since knowledge might destroy us, we will have none of it… our concern shall be with beauty only,” (Death in Venice, Thomas Mann). And with these words Aschenbach practices exactly what he preaches. He fully embraces his madness, throws caution to the wind and dives into his weird, most likely pedophilic relationship.

So Phaedrus is the perfect allusion for Mann to use in this story, it gives Aschenbach a credible source that approves of his indulgence in this behavior. It also fits with the way Tadzio’s body is always described, he was as “beautiful as a tender young god”, (Death in Venice, Thomas Mann). Not only does the content of the story of Phaedrus apply to the novel, but also the allusions to Greek mythology and culture that are woven throughout the novel further draw attention to the implied acceptance of Aschenbach’s madness. Aschenbach is truly crazy in love.