Foreign Study in Berlin

two, doing so with theatre which combined writing and poetry with music. Two of Mann’s most powerful works, Doctor Faustus and Death in Venice investigate the problem of unbalance in the human condition. Adrian makes a pact with the devil which robs him of the gift of passionate love and, in effect, forcefully transforms him into an almost entirely Apollonian figure, while Aschenbach gives up writing and scholarly pursuits in order to follow his spontaneous and deep love for Tadzio. While each one careens towards opposites sides of the spectrum, they are united by tragedy and the power of music. Adrian’s desire for the greater and greater masterpieces gradually destroys his mind and Aschenbach’s infatuation with sounds, both in reality and in dreams, loosens his grip on the world around him. The power of sound has an incredible significance for both works in that it subsumes the characters’ realities and deobjectifies their passions. Aschenbach and Adrian focus their a

1) Adrian’s music is rigid and follows a defined pattern