The Magic Mountain

The Magic Mountain (Der Zauberberg) is a 1924 novel by Thomas Mann and one of the most influential works of 20th century German literature.

Summary

The protagonist is Hans Castorp, who visits his cousin Joachim Ziemßen in a sanatorium in Davos in the Swiss Alps before World War I. Castorp's departure is repeatedly delayed by his failing health - what at first looks like a cold develops into the symptoms of tuberculosis. In the end, Castorp remains in the morbid atmosphere of the sanatorium for seven years. At the end of the novel, the war begins, Castorp is drafted into the military, and his imminent death on the battlefield is suggested.

Related Topics:
Sanatorium - Davos - Swiss Alps - World War I - Tuberculosis

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During his stay, Castorp meets and learns from a variety of characters, who are together a microcosm of pre-war Europe. These include the humanist and encyclopedist Lodovico Settembrini (a student of Giosuè Carducci), the totalitarianist jesuit Leo Naphta, the hedonist Heer Peeperkorn, and his romantic interest Madame Chauchat.

Related Topics:
Humanist - Encyclopedist - Giosuè Carducci - Totalitarian - Jesuit - Hedonist

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