One thing workaholics are tired of hearing is "you need a vacation!" The classic workaholic has no idea when he or she has worked enough and usually has difficulty making the decision to take a break, even for a short period of time. Workaholic Gustav von Aschenbach, a middle-aged writer living in early 20th-century Germany, desperately needs a vacation to clear his mind and recharge. His life is comparable to that of a machine, constantly working without stopping and devoid of true meaning. Aschenbach's life goal is to maintain a high status in society and to be continually recognized for his great work, and as a result he has no time left for true introspection. This is why his life is a monotonous and endless cycle of superficiality and oblivion of his identity and, more specifically, of his homosexuality. In 20th century Germany, homosexuality was banned and sexuality itself was a topic swept under the carpet. Aschenbach's superficial goals conflict with this part of his identity, as to achieve success he must completely deny his sexuality. This accumulated frustration leads him to long for holidays, for "a fresh scene, without associations" (15) and after some travel he ends up in the city of Venice - little does he know that Venice is the perfect city place for him to get out of this cycle of repression that consumes his life, because it allows him to feel as if many social constraints and expectations have been removed. In Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, some unique characteristics of Venice work to expose and reinforce Aschenbach's long-repressed homosexuality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The symmetry between Venice's forbidden illness and Aschenbach's evil secret relieves him of his guilt and provides him with a sense of comfort and satisfaction that allows his inner nature to flourish. For much of Aschenbach's stay in Venice he struggles with his sexuality. Aschenbach feels that his sexuality is a dark and evil secret, which is why, at first, he neither understands nor accepts it for what it is. She continually denies her feelings for Tadzio out of fear of her own emotions. One day, as Aschenbach observes Tadzio, his heart begins to “beat uncomfortably fast, while his breathing became so labored that if he tried to speak he could only gasp.” (46) After experiencing this sensation, he says to himself: "It must be the same God-Love, who makes us lower our heads at the sight of beauty and weighs our proud spirits to the ground." -he embroidered on it and was too arrogant to admit the fear of an emotion. (47) This overwhelming experience of emotion scares Aschenbach and leaves him in a state of denial of his true feelings. He believes that these feelings are wrong and should be kept secret from himself and others, forcing him to disguise them as something they are not. Venice also has an evil secret that is hushed up by those who know it. There has been a deadly cholera epidemic in Venice, yet Venetians deny it in the interest of bolstering their image equally. Aschenbach denies his sexuality to defend his image. The idea that Venice hides something beneath the appearance that everything is fine gives Aschenbach “a dark satisfaction that mixes with that of the depths of his heart...” (53 ) Once he finally understands what is happening in Venice , his "knowing that he shares the secret of the city, the fault of thecity, put him outside of himself, intoxicated him... and he was stunned by fleeting, crazy, unreasonable hopes and visions of a monstrous sweetness". (65) The feeling of sharing the blame of his dirty secret with Venice - that Venice is his co-conspirator - causes him to completely change his mindset about his homosexuality. Instead of denying it or disguising it as something else, he is able to accept it and consequently detach himself from his old “moral sense” that caused his self-repression. Once he understands and accepts Venice's illness, he is able to understand and accept his own "illness". This new awareness of the secret of Venice gives way to an intense and terrifying dream, at the end of which Aschenbach is “destroyed, unhinged, helpless in the grip of the demon. He no longer avoided the gaze of men nor did he care about exposing himself to suspicion...". He feels that the truth “has leaked out; despite all efforts to the contrary, panic was in the air.” (67) Ultimately, this awareness of the city's disease frees him from his self-repression and allows him to act on his emotions without worrying about what the outside world will think. When Aschenbach felt alone in facing his secrets, he was filled with fear and guilt. However, it is because of Venezia's secret illness that he no longer feels shame or guilt about his homosexuality and is able to express his true nature. The ocean of Venice relaxes Aschenbach, providing him with a comfortable and convenient environment for his obsession with Tadzio. develop and consequently that his subconscious homosexuality comes out of his shell. The beach and ocean scene has always been one Aschenbach likes, it has the "power to seduce him, to loosen his resolve, to make him happy..." But it's not the soothing sound of waves or crystal clear water what gives him joy is “the sight of a sophisticated society indulging in a simple life on the edge of the element”. (29) Aschenbach's "love of the ocean" had deep origins: the hard-working artist's longing for rest..." and a "desire... an attraction to the disorganized, the immeasurable, the eternal - in short, to nothingness ” (30) The ocean has the power to transport him “to the Elysian Fields, to the ends of the earth, to the most carefree place for the children of men... without toil or struggle. ..” (40-41) Aschenbach finds joy at the beach because it makes him feel as if the constraints and expectations of society have been eliminated; he likes the idea of ​​society abandoning its norms because he unconsciously wants to abandon its norms. The beach is the only place where you can sit and watch people (including small children) in bathing suits play or go swimming without the risk of looking silly or creepy. The changed status quo allows Aschenbach to feel comfortable watching Tadzio for hours every day. It was these “regular morning hours on the beach that gave him the happiest opportunity to study and admire the beautiful apparition…this immediate happiness, this daily and recurring advantage at the hands of circumstances, this was what filled him with content, of joy of living, enriched his stay and lingered in the series of sunny days that followed so pleasantly one after the other." (41) In this way the beach becomes an incredibly comfortable place in which homosexuality Aschenbach's subconscious can creep into his conscious actions. On the beach Aschenbach is able to let go, to stop limiting his desires as he is forced to do everywhere his gaze loses focus, becomes blurred and vague in the foggy immensity of space”. (30) Essentially, he is able to detach himself.