It was all starting from the sojourn toward Venice. The hailing burst out the curtain of the scene, “First class to Venice! Here you are, sir!” where seemed to be “A happily chosen destination!” The truth is, however, the detached mentality was carried Aschenbach from the “Venice! A magnificent city!” Venice’s magnificence seemed not parallel to a mournful mind, the inner solemnity was unspeakable, toward the outer world. Indeed, “A city full of irresistible attraction to the well-educated, both due to its history and its present charms!” A city with history, charismatic as it shined, brought out anticipation, fever, and hopes. While the case was not as anticipated enough, that is, the city of splendor did not well received, functioned, and perceived by an unawakened mind. In the first place, “He did not anticipate anything else, for the city had always received him with splendor.” (p.13)
In the making of a transitory mind, the settlement in the first explored place was worth observing. “What seemed to him so hard to bear, even intolerable, was apparently the notion that he would never again set eyes on Venice, that this would be a permanent farewell (p.25). The dislike of Venice was reaching the point of being intolerable. However, there was no doubt Tadzio’s showing up was a tipping point. The observing essence of a distant gaze soon took over the emptiness of a rekindled mind. Then the depictions were tempting, “Several times, when the Sun set behind Venice, he sat on a bench in the park to watch Tadzio who, dressed in white and girded gaily, was playing ball on the flattened gravel court and it was Hyacinth he deemed to see who had to die because two gods fell in love with him,” (p.36) pervading the aroma of lust. It was not until the affection to Tadzio was brewing in the city of lust, the transferring affection to the city was coming up:
“That was Venice, alluring and dubiously entrancing—this city, part fairy tale, part tourist trap, in the putrid atmosphere of which art used to blossom luxuriously and which had inspired musicians with lulling melodies. The adventurer felt as if his eyes were drinking that kind of luxury, as if his ears were courted by those kinds of melodies; he also recalled that the city was ailing and kept it secret because of its lucre, and he gazed even more unrestrainedly at the gondola in front.”(p.40)
However, the turning of the sets was vibrantly shifted later on, with the scorching sun and the overbearing sultriness haunted in the city. It was broodingly haunted, Venice, St Mark’s, flooded with crowds, “Venice is diseased!” (p.47) the scandalous malady was out of control, and the police was over the town sterilizing. The diseased Venice set a tone of sadness, contrasted the alluring sentiments of the loving hearts. The city did play a turning role backing up the transforming characters’ makings of mentalities. Solemnly depicted, it sent out messages of bitter sweetness voicing the uncanny beauty with downside darkness. With the twisted magnificence of a promising city, Venice was thus seen a saddened backdrop with reminiscing props, rekindling every single challenging heart.
