Mann's "Der Tod in Venedig" and Williams' Suddenly Last Summer: a comparison

By the time Tennessee Williams was born, Thomas Mann was well on his way to becoming a major figure in European, if not world, literature. Separation by the Atlantic Ocean, cultural and social background, and differences in literary tradition stood between the two writers. However, by 1945, when Williams became prominent in American literature, Mann had created a significant body of works from which the American could have drawn. Mann's lengthy sojourn in the United States, as a result of World War II, is another factor which might have served to bridge the gap between them. The historical development of Germany and the southern United States from I860, is another Important consideration in this comparison, since both men lived and worked in unique social surroundings.