“he spoke to him of the hot terror which the initiate suffer when their eyes light on an image of the eternal beauty; spoke of the greed of the impious and the wicked who cannot think beauty when they see its likeness, and who are incapable of reverence; spoke of the heavy distress which befalls the noble-minded when a godlike countenance, a perfect body, appears before them; they tremble and grow distracted, and hardly dare to raise their eyes, and they honor the one who posses this beauty, yes, if they were not afraid of being thought downright madmen they would sacrifice to the beloved as to the image of a god. For beauty, my Phaedrus, beauty alone is both lovely and visible at once; it is, mark me, the only form of the spiritual which we can receive through the senses.”
Quote by Thomas Mann
Work
In this novella, the protagonist, an aging writer, becomes entranced by the beauty of Venice and its inhabitants. His fascination leads to a complex relationship with a young boy, which ultimately results in a profound existential crisis. The story delves into the complexities of artistic creation and the moral dilemmas faced by the protagonist amidst the backdrop of the picturesque and decaying city of Venice. more
Author
Thomas Mann, born on June 6, 1875, and died on August 12, 1955, was a German novelist and one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Known for his profound psychological portrayals and rich imagination, his works extensively covered themes such as individual and society, history and reality. His masterpieces include 'Buddenbrooks' and 'The Magic Mountain'. more