Aschenbach And The Psyche In Thomas Mann's Death In Venice

Throughout Mann’s novella, Death in Venice, it is apparent that Aschenbach is an unusual man. From the beginning, we see an unhealthy obsession form as Ashenbach begins to desire a young boy while vacationing. This situation, made worse by what he believes to be the boys reciprocation, Aschenbach’s behavior becomes more and more reckless and comes closer to giving over to his desire. This woeful tale reveals an interesting interpretation of Freud’s theory on the psyche as Aschenbach struggles with his id, ego, and superego.
According to Freudian theory, the id is the unconscious component of the psyche and it is often responsible for impulses (McLeod). The id insists we act on our desires immediately in order to prolong any pain (McLeod).
According to Freud, “the superego…develops around the age of 3 – 5” (McLeod). Unfortunately, Aschenbach was sickly during this time of his life, which may have impeded on his development (Mann). This means that Aschenbach never learned to attribute societal morals to aspects in his life. In his efforts to achieve his desires, he did not realize he was doing anything wrong by essentially stalking a young boy. The superego’s role is to control the id, especially in cases where morality is questioned. If the superego fails to gain control of the id, “the conscience can punish the ego through causing feelings of guilt” (McLeod); in Aschenbach’s case, his conscience punished him with such guilt that he ate cholera-ridden berries (Mann). Another characteristic of the superego is the person has a high “ideal self” (McLeod). Originally, Aschenbach’s ideal self was exceptionally high. He looked down on those around him and considered himself to be their better. For example, the old man, of whom he said he was “embarrassed” simply because the man dressed younger than his age deemed fitting (Mann 5). Eventually, his id won out in that too as Aschenbach himself turned into that man in an attempt to appeal to