Pantalone and Eros

I’m going to admit it: I liked this book. While the subject matter in itself is uncomfortable, the book is well written and does a good job of conveying tragedy and satire on Aschenbach. The physical descriptions allowed me to see everything vividly, and the quality of the writing was good (of course it was, if it’s a classic). I began reading the book with utter disdain for Aschenbach because of the way he was talked about. He seemed to me to be pompous, well written, and just a little too stiff. But as the book carried on and Tadzio was introduced, the reader, (or, me, at least), is compelled to feel pain and pity for this man who once had such great morals and has now taken a fall from grace. The book makes many references back to itself, and the one which I found the most moving, or effective, was at the very end. In fact, the very last scene is when I decided that I enjoyed the book.
Aschenbach is sitting on the beach, watching Tadzio walk away, and the scene is immensely tragic. (Before switching the page, give me a chance to argue). What is tragic about the scene, is the amount of dignity and respect that the artist has lost. Aschenbach, once a great man whom people on the street recognized and adored, is now the creepy old man that a young boy’s nurses have to warn him of. This was a man who felt disgust at anyone pretending to be who they weren’t. The old “young man” on the boat is an example of this. Aschenbach is revolted by this figure, pretending to be something in order to fit in, pretending to be many years younger, and according to Aschenbach, simply revolting, clown-like. But look at the author himself! Sitting on the shore of the beach, watching the only thing he wishes to live for walk away, because, honestly, how long can a fourteen-year-old stay on vacation? He, the great author and man of morals, has just come back from the salon. He dyed his hair, put makeup on, treated his face so as to look decades younger than he really is. He himself has become the man on the boat, a clown, a tragedy who deserves no respect, and there he is, fallen from grace. One could compare him to the comedia del’arte character Pantalone, the clownlike, venetian, carnival character. All because of a ridiculous obsession with a young boy. Tragic.
(sorry this was so late... I had technical difficulties)