At the end of the 19th century, decadence was an extremely popular theme in European literature. Furthermore, the degeneration of the individual and society in general was depicted in many of Mann's contemporary works. In Death in Venice, the theme of decadence brought about by aesthetics appears through Gustav von Achenbach's eccentric, specifically homoerotic, feelings toward a Polish boy named Tadzio. Although his feelings arise from a sound source, the boy's aesthetic beauty, Aschenbach becomes decadent to the extent that his feelings are overly zealous, and his obsession ultimately leads to his literal and existential destruction. This illustrates how aestheticism is closely linked to decadence, and is often even the cause of it. Although the narrative deals with more complexities, the author's use of such vivid descriptions suggests that the physical and literal aspect of his writing is just as important to the meaning of the story. The first and most obvious example of aestheticism and decadence as correlated themes in this story is the title, Death in Venice. By putting the city's name front and center in the title, Mann emphasizes the city's key role in the unfolding narrative. Mann aligns the word “Venice” with the word “death” in the title. This creates a relationship between these two words: the word “death” strongly imbues the word “Venice” with all its connotations. Death and decay are important ideas in the context of decadence. By its nature, the title connects the concepts of death and dying to the city of Venice, implying that the location is where death will occur. However, this parallels the beginning of the story when Mann sadly recounts the walk from Aschenbach to Munich. Reading this passage, he ...... middle of paper ...... internally decadent thanks to his indulgence in Tadzio's appearance. He then changes his appearance to please his idol, who in turn corrupts himself by transforming him into the type of decadent man he once despised. These themes of aestheticism and decadence, not in juxtaposition but in duality, are used frequently by Mann throughout the novella. Works Cited Mann, Thomas and Clayton Koelb. Death in Venice: a new translation, backgrounds and contexts, review. New York: WW Norton, 1994. Print. Ritters, Naoimi and Jeffrey B. Berlin. "the tradition of European decadence". Approaches to teaching Mann's Death in Venice and other short fiction. New York: American Modern Language Association, 1992. 86-92. Print.Shookman, Ellis and René-Pierre Collins. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann: a short story and its reviews. Rochester, New York: Camden House, 2003. Print.