Decadence and exoticism in the mythicized Venice

Abstract

Venice is one of the European cities mythicized in cinema and literature. It’s the chosen place where two masterpieces of the literature take place, Merchant of Venice (1596) and Death in Venice (1911), where the focus is over fundamental aspects of the city such as trade, social structure and multiculturalism. However, Shakespeare presents the religious-cultural struggle and the economics field, while Thomas Mann focuses on the decadence spread over the city and the European continent in the early 20th century. Both of them consider Venice as an icon of the period that they’re living for. The English writer shows the economical development and a prosperous era, while the German author points out the twilight of the European continent.