Suicide, or the killing of oneself, has been present in literature and real life for almost as long as written histories have existed. Shakespearean works commonly used suicide as a tragic ending, but less with the insinuation of weakness and more with the connotation of being a form of self-sacrifice. Shakespearean plays have been adapted over time and remain as a good medium to reduce the stigma. Modern examples of destigmatizing suicide often center on celebrity suicide. When Robin Williams committed suicide, the press did not glorify suicide, but also did not present Williams as being weak for committing suicide. Shakespeare and many modern outlets are a huge influence in the reduction of the stigma around mental health issues. The contemporary …show more content…
The Bible specifically mentions that the act of killing oneself is sinful and “… suicide was often regarded as the result of diabolical temptation, induced by despair or madness” (SOARS). Diabolical temptation refers to the influence of the devil, so suicide was associated was bending to the devil’s will. As the devil is the embodiment of evil, those who committed suicide were viewed as evil and treated as such. The priest would often deny any suspected of suicide a Christian burial. People who committed suicide were also beaten and hanged post-mortem before being dragged through the streets and displayed for the entire village or town to shame for committing such a heinous sin (SOARS). Tadros states in his article, The Stigma of Suicide, that “A number of philosophers and writer including William Shakespeare sought to encourage a more understanding and compassionate view [of suicide]” (Tadros). Shakespeare specifically went against the idea of those who committed suicide not deserving a Christian burial in his play Hamlet. Ophelia was not denied a Christian burial by the Priest even with the suspicious circumstances of her death (Shakespeare). This could also be viewed as a privilege of wealth, but shows that Shakespeare believes that those who commit suicide should not be denied the right to a proper funeral. This view was extremely controversial during the Renaissance as Christianity had a major impact on the daily life of most of European civilization. Shakespeare also has characters in tragedies such as Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet commit suicide or suffer from suicidal thoughts. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet has numerous soliloquys discussing the idea of suicide. Most notable of these soliloquys is his “To be or not to be” soliloquy. This soliloquy is entirely focused around whether or not living his life