Death in Venice: A New Translation by Michael Henry Heim

Along with "The Turn of the Screw," "Heart of Darkness," "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man," "The Bear," and "The Old Man and the Sea," Thomas Mann's story of a middle-aged writer's fatal obsession with a teenage boy in cholera-ridden Venice is one of the indisputable classic novellas of modern Western literature. Its weaving of Plato, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Wagner and Freud into a condensed, taut, open-ended story is so elegantly achieved that it possibly outstrips even those other short masterpieces in concentrated power. At once alluring, creepy and in the end oddly moving, it's a book that penetrates the memory like few others. Of the many translations out there, Heim's is among the most lucid and lyrical. Indeed, it perhaps goes down too easily, missing that layer of Germanic formality that Mann used as a kind of parody of his main character's literary "dignity" and lofty reputation. I've read the story many times and it's always mesmerizing - a descent into the abyss of a man's soul that never fails to leave me shaken.

This is not a review, but just a comment. There are several versions of Death In Venice for sale through Kindle. I have read samples from them all. Michael Henry Heim's translation is the most expensive, but well worth the few extra dollars. Mann's language is of the older, more stilted and long winded variety to our modern sensibilities. This translation compared to the others is more natural, readable and poetic. It retains the complexity without stumbling over the difficulties into what might be a bumbling translation full of odd English. If you really want a smooth natural flow of language, don't bother with the earlier translations.

Let's get the Lowe-Porter issue out of the way up front: I know she meant well, but she was anything but faithful to Mann's prose style. As dedicated as she was to the Mann corpus and the Herculean task of churning through some quite languid bits, I think she did this particular gem of Mann's a disservice. I'm not going to say that had anything to do with her not quite "getting it," what would I know about that? I will say that her translation made the story seem almost silly and painted the main character Aschenbach as rather pathetic if totally unsympathetic, or just a curiosity that might exist only in the imagination of someone reluctant to confront his own sexuality (I mean the author here, not the character). But it is so much more! It is a devastating tale, and deserves an adroit translator to convey the nuances flowing throughout the text for the reader to tease out and piece together himself. That's the way Mann intended it, as best as we understand it today. Cunningham definitely accomplishes this with great skill. For those looking for newer translations of Mann's other works, I highly recommend the John E. Woods translations. He is clearly unafraid to approach Mann on his own terms, as Cunningham does here. Mrs. Lowe-Porter had a little too much "decorum," or alternately sought to elevate her own prose style by using sometimes stilted and artificial verbiage. In any case, she seems to have been unwilling to go as far as the German text in front of her went, something wonderfully rectified here and in Woods' translations. Even more curious is Mann's tacit approval and praise of L-P's translations, when certainly he must have found it at least as turgid as native English speakers did.

Mann's story, poetically translated, carries a passion, a deft ply of emotion and thought; but lacks a certain morality that would add to the brief tale. It wouldBe difficult to endorse reading the novella for anything but it's deep investigation of transgressive Eros and the brilliant characterization of Venice.

This is the kindle edition I like best. Aside from Mann's well known work, "Death in Venice", the book includes "Mario and the Magician", "A Man and His Dog," and "Tonio Kroger". These stories are meant to be read with deliberation and sensibility as Mann wants us to feel the drama and tragedy unfold. In "A Man and His Dog", there is little drama and even less tragedy because the journey is mostly internal. It is a journey anyway, with the subtlety and pathos that make me say, Mann's creation of the aesthetic is deeply personal and universal at the same time. Power and powerlessness is one of his themes. Read about "Mario and the Magician" and you'll feel the existential pull of sadism and masochism evolve on so many levels, that the subtlety will seem sublime. Then the story of a man, who left alone on vacation, discovers a need so primal that it eludes his very rational powers to defy. "A Death in Venice", is about this accomplished intellectual who reverts to an early stage of development whereby he becomes enraptured by a young boy's beauty. This superficial knowing of the boy is in steep contrast to the depth of his well acclaimed written biographies. Living in his head for so long, left Aschenbach deeply out of balance. In a sense, Mann's stories are warnings to us to stay connected, generous, and humble. The characters in this volume of short stories, is about lonely people who feel small, moral nihilists who need to create drama to experience a sense of themselves, and about the formation of a union based on affection that is between a man and his dog. Who wouldn't want to enrich their literary tastes with tidbits like these!

Read this as background for a read of Mann's The Magic Mountain. It is short, well-written, and a powerful little story. You can find out more about this book, a minor classic, many places -- I doubt I have anything unique to add.The introductory piece by Michael Cunningham on translations is excellent, as well.

A number of primary and secondary reference material, accompanied by an aptly translated text, make this a truly treasurable tour that makes you understand Mann's intricate and intriguing novella better. Norton Critical Editions have sustained their reliability with this important book. A word of appreciation for the seller, Bookswagon, which always takes care that books are packed and delivered in pristine condition, without wrinkled covers. Wish all sellers had this much love for books. Thank you, Bookswagon.

Classic and enthralling

Utterly beautiful translation. This must surely be what it feels like to die.