In this thought-provoking discussion, guests Karolina Watroba, an expert in Modern Languages, Erica Wickerson, a former Research Fellow at Cambridge, and Sean Williams, a Senior Lecturer in German Culture, delve deep into Thomas Mann's "Death in Venice." They explore the complex themes of obsession, beauty, and self-destruction through the tragic figure of Gustav von Aschenbach. The conversation also highlights the interplay between desire and morality, linking Mann's writing to contemporary societal challenges and the philosophical tensions of art and life.