Venice

Venice is a populous Italian city characterized by preserved antique architecture. The city is built on water rather than on land, and thus boat travel through canals is the primary form of transportation. The narrator travels to Venice because it is where Juliana Bordereau resides, and the narrator hopes to obtain her collection of letters written by Jeffrey Aspern. The narrator passes much of his time in Venice as a tourist, admiring the beauty and the history of the city.

The Bordereaus’ House

Juliana and Tita live in a very large but generally neglected house. They lead highly reclusive lives, and they have only one maidservant. The house is described as palatial but generally shabby from lack of upkeep, and eerie from lack of company. The narrator pays Juliana in exchange for being able to live as a tenant in the house. Under this pretense, the narrator hopes...