The barber encourages Aschenbach to dye his hair, wear makeup, and alter his appearance late in the novella, as Aschenbach becomes more and more obsessed with youth and begins to despise his aged appearance. By going through with the barber’s cosmetic recommendations, Aschenbach comes to resemble the old man he found so grotesque on the boat to Venice.
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The Hotel Barber Character Timeline in Death in Venice
The timeline below shows where the character The Hotel Barber appears in Death in Venice. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 5
...Aschenbach noticed that the number of guests at the hotel seemed to be decreasing. His barber one day mentioned something about a disease, but when Aschenbach asked him more about it,...
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Aschenbach went to the hotel barber and dyed his gray hair. He put on all sorts of cosmetics and makeup, and...
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