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Illness, Madness, Genius. Thomas Mann and the Pathology of Art
Krankheit, Wahn, Genie. Thomas Mann und die Pathologie der Kunst
Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:14:27
Abstract
Mann's texts are obsessed with illness. These appear not only negatively, but also positively, as heightened aesthetic sensitivity. We will also examine this shift in the context of medical and philosophical theories of illness.
Objective
An overview of theories of illness from a literary, philosophical, and medical-historical perspective, and reading of Thomas Mann texts with independent reflection work.
Content
Thomas Mann's novels and short stories are almost obsessed with illnesses of all kinds. These appear not only negatively, as physical, psychological, or psychosomatic deficiencies and deterioration, but also positively, as enabling imagination, as heightening of aesthetic sensitivity, and as the development of artistic forms of expression—in extreme cases, even as a condition of artistic genius itself. In this course, we will examine this pathology of art using Mann's texts such as Buddenbrocks, Death in Venice, but especially The Magic Mountain and Doctor Faustus. At the same time, we will place these texts in the context of contemporary medical and psychiatric, as well as philosophical and aesthetic, theories of illness, the body, and sexuality, which Mann also explored in these texts. At the vanishing point of these theories, shifts in the science of the body and psyche around 1900 can be identified, which interpret pathology not only negatively but also positively, as exemplified in the case of artistic ability. The sick genius is the most extreme form of this reinterpretation.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- DS , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar | Krankheit, Wahn, Genie. Thomas Mann und die Pathologie der Kunst |
|
2 h weekly |
| lecture | Krankheit, Wahn, Genie. Thomas Mann und die Pathologie der Kunst |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
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Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
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