“As I read Mann in German for the first time, the full achievement - both literary and philosophical - of Death in Venice struck me forcefully, so that, when I was invited to give the Schoff Lectures at Columbia, the opportunity to reflect on the contrasts between novella and opera seemed irresistible.” GivingFirstsOpportunityAchievementFirst TimePhilosophicalOperaContrastInvitedLecturesIrresistibleVeniceColumbiaDeath In Venice Author:Philip Kitcher
“First, my frame of reference for the Britten opera shifted. I'd always thought of Britten's approach in Death in Venice as another exploration of the plight of the individual whose aspirations are at odds with those of the surrounding community: his last opera returning to the themes of Peter Grimes. As I read and listened and thought, however, Billy Budd came to seem a more appropriate foil for Death in Venice.” FirstsSeemsLastsIndividualCommunityApproachAspirationThemeAppropriateExplorationOperaPeterOddsVenicePlightFoilsFrame Of ReferenceGrimeDeath In Venice Author:Philip Kitcher
“Presenting Aschenbach as a composer - based on Mahler - leads to some dreadful scenes (especially those in which Aschenbach is berated by his student), and it surely distorts the character Mann created. Yet, we know that Mann's novella was based on a holiday in Venice he took with his wife and brother, and that while he was there he followed the reports in the German newspapers, describing the dying Mahler's progress as he returned from New York to Vienna.” KnowsCharacterWifeProgressDyingNew YorkStudentsBrotherSceneNewspapersReportsHolidayComposerDescribingVenicePresentingViennaMahler Author:Philip Kitcher
“Using the Adagietto of Mahler's Fifth is one of the touches of pure genius in Visconti's film (even though Mahlerians complain very loudly that the piece has been ruined), since it corresponds perfectly to Aschenbach's yearnings and to his circling walks around Venice.” Has BeensFilmWalksPiecesGeniusPureComplainingYearningRuinedFifthVeniceMahler Author:Philip Kitcher
“I intend Deaths in Venice to contribute both to literary criticism and to philosophy. But it's not "strict philosophy" in the sense of arguing for specific theses. As I remark, there's a style of philosophy - present in writers from Plato to Rawls - that invites readers to consider a certain class of phenomena in a new way. In the book, I associate this, in particular, with my good friend, the eminent philosopher of science, Nancy Cartwright, who practices it extremely skilfully.” WayBookPhilosophyCertainClassPracticeStyleParticularReaderCriticismPhilosopherArguingInvitesNew WaysGood FriendStrictAssociatesPlatoRemarksVeniceThesisNancyLiterary CriticismDeath In Venice Author:Philip Kitcher
“Part of my methodological approach is made explicit when I discuss ways in which literature can have philosophical significance. Literature doesn't typically argue - and when it does, it's deadly dull. But literature can supply the frame within which we come to observe and reason, or it can change our frame in highly significant ways. That's one of the achievements I'd claim for Mann, and for Death in Venice.” WayDoeMadeReasonLiteratureAchievementApproachClaimsPhilosophicalArguingSignificantDullSignificanceVeniceExplicitDeath In Venice Author:Philip Kitcher
“Mann's Death in Venice actually contains a snippet of philosophy about the second question, when Aschenbach, collapsed in the plaza, engages in his quasi-Socratic, anti-Socratic, ruminations.” PhilosophyVeniceSocraticRuminationDeath In Venice Author:Philip Kitcher
“To my mind, Death in Venice represents an enormous advance in Mann's literary development, not simply for the commonly appreciated reason that he crafted a superbly supple and elegant style, apparently well suited to the kind of prose Aschenbach is supposed to write.” WritingMindWellsKindReasonStyleDevelopmentEnormousProseElegantAppreciatedVeniceSuppleDeath In Venice Author:Philip Kitcher
“The classical allusions and the Platonic disquisitions on beauty are no longer a form of cover, but integral to Aschenbach's complex sexuality. Moreover, the wandering around Venice in pursuit of Tadzio isn't a prelude to some sexual contact for which Aschenbach is yearning.” FormComplexesSexualityPursuitContactWanderYearningVeniceAllusionPlatonicPreludeWandering Around Author:Philip Kitcher
