Set in 1907, the story follows , a young engineering student from Hamburg who travels to the Swiss Alps to visit his cousin, Joachim Ziemssen, at the Berghof Sanatorium . What was meant to be a three-week visit turns into a seven-year stay after Hans is diagnosed with tuberculosis. The novel concludes with the outbreak of World War I, which forces Hans to leave the "magic mountain" and join the fight in the "flatlands". Key Characters & Symbolism
Sickness is used as a metaphor for the decadence and decay of European society. Der Zauberberg
Hans’s cousin, who represents duty and the military spirit . Core Themes Set in 1907, the story follows , a
A Jewish-born Jesuit and Settembrini’s rival; he represents irrationalism, radicalism, and authoritarianism . Key Characters & Symbolism Sickness is used as
An Italian humanist and Freemason who champions reason, progress, and democracy .