Epiphany can be defined as the sudden realization of the essence
or meaning of something, as well as the understanding of the
truth of certain situations or one’s life as a whole. In Death
in Venice, Gustav von Auschenbach’s recognition of his love for
and obsession with Tadzio is a kind of epiphany that, while not
exactly beneficial or positive marks a point in which the
character experience complete clarity and begins to express
honesty about his previously rejected desires. Gustav von
Auschenbach, having led a life of dedication to his craft,
prides himself on disciplined perfectionism and dignity. His
life up to the point at which the novel takes place has been
largely uneventful. Many ominous occurrences help to illustrate
Gustav’s state of mind at the story’s opening. His exchange with
a strange gondola rower who turns out to be a criminal, as well
as his sighting of a disturbing old man dressed to look youthful
are both v aguely perilous encounters which serve to establish
Gustav’s uneasiness. Upon dis