Abstract:

Thomas Mann, one of the most important German writers of the twentieth century,’s work ‘Death in Venice’ is the center of this work. We tried to analyze the developments in the event organization, which were discussed in the work and offered a rich reading opportunity, with mythological events. Starting from the work, we tried to reveal the reflections of the characteristics of some of the gods mentioned in the ancient Greek mythology, referring to the reflections in the characters mentioned in the work. We followed the traces of the writer Aschenbach, the main character, how he turned from the line of logic, mind and order into the line of emotions, passion, excitement and love. We tried to place these two opposite thought structures in the apollonistic and dionistic thought that Nietzsche developed by addressing the characteristics of the gods of Apollon and Dionysos from Ancient Greece. As a messenger of the gods, we pointed to the fact that Hermes, who was famous in his Greek mythology, accompanied Aschenbach with different characters from the beginning to the end of the work, and emphasized his characteristics.

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Abstract:

The focus of the study is on the novella Death in Venice by Thomas Mann who is one of the most important German writers of the twentieth century. We intend to analyze the mythological events which are discussed in the work and offer a rich reading opportunity. By trying to reveal the reflections of the characteristics of some gods in Ancient Greek mythology, we have discussed the reflections of these gods on the characters in the works. We have analyzed how the main character, Aschenbach, transformed from the line of logic, reason and order to the line of emotion, passion, ecstasy and love. We tried to interpret these two opposing views on the apollonistic and dionistic thought developed by Nietzche from the characteristics of the gods of Apollo and Dionysus from Ancient Greece. We emphasized the companionship of Hermes, who became famous in Greek mythology as the messenger of the gods, to Aschenbach with different characters from beginning to end.