On the beginning of the twentieth century the Europe was going through the transitional period of changing economical, social, and moral principals of its society. The cultural and psychological conditions were in a big crisis and had holes left to be filled. Globalization and industrialization were just a part of the reason of people's new psychological struggling. Also technology advancements as well as cultural exchange brought new ideas about old traditions and understanding things. The whole new movement that was associated with progress and controversy was named modernism, which spread worldwide very soon. People who carried a hard burden of introducing new ideas to the mass were called modernists. Amongst them was a German famous writer Thomas Mann. In his most famous novel Death in Venice Mann had used a number of principles of modernism.
Each literature movement or flow can be easily identified in each work if a reader knows the main principles of the certain period of time. As far as modernism concerned, the number of distinct features can be referred to this movement. Modernism came out from utopian ideas, thus the ideas of perfection, ideal, and better future are common. Often main characters criticize Christianity or doubt old traditional set of rules. Another distinct feature of modernism is that the main characters are not satisfied; there is a constant psychological struggle between their desires and reality. One more principle of modernism is a use of technological progress, advancements to show a human helplessness comparing to machines or just to symbolize something else. Using symbols to express ideas is another main principle of modernism. The named above elements as well as others can easily be spotted in the Death in Venice.
The main character, Gustave Aschenbach, is going through a life crisis. He is not satisfied with his life. Even though, he is successful and well-known writer in a society, he is emotionally empty.