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Suicide In Shakespeare's Tragedies: A Thematic Analysis

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Recommended: Critically analyze the character of Othello

Suicide in Shakespeare 's Tragedies: A Thematic Analysis That state of mind, whether healthy and normal or unhealthy and abnormal, which leads an individual to the commission of self-murder, was one not likely to escape the careful observation and comment of the great psychologist of the sixteenth century ; therefore, scattered throughout the whole extent of his works, we find allusions to this subject, characterized by that deep, philosophical, and comprehensive knowledge of the motives and mainsprings of human action, which, as we have taken occasion frequently to remark, places him preeminently above all others of ancient or modern times. Some of the greatest minds have contemplated this subject; many of them, alas! viewing it through the dark, dismal shadows of their own sad experience. One of the greatest minds of modern times has been brought to bear upon …show more content…

Moreover, it was not his purpose either to furnish us a philosophy of suicide, or to regard the subject from a scientific point of view and as the result of a certain diseased mental process. He certainly was not the man to sit upon a coroner 's inquest, and pronounce upon oath a verdict of "temporary insanity" upon every case of suicide that came up. This is a psychological refinement reserved for modern times, and one of the things " not dreamed of " in his psychology. Therefore, all his principal suicides, as it will be observed, perpetrate the crime in their natural, at least, if not in their sober senses. Prominent among these stands Othello, a character which we think could not have been rendered insane by any combination of moral

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When people (especially children) commit suicide, people usually want an explanation. In Romeo and Juliet, two teenagers kill themselves in the name of love, and by the end of the play, Prince Escalus and the rest of the characters need sometime to blame. There are many people who could be blamed for their deaths including the Capulets’, the Montagues’, Friar Lawrence, and Fate. While both families and Fate had a part in the tragedy, Friar Lawrence is mostly to blame. Fate is part of the reason that Romeo and Juliet die.

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Romeo, an overly dramatic character, is one who does not think things through. Romeo’s death was caused due to Friar Laurence, who failed to send a letter informing Romeo that Juliet was simply in a death like sleep. Romeo, being one to jump to solutions stated, ‘Noting this penury, to myself I said, “ An if a man did need a poison now”… (Shakespeare 5:1 Lines 51-52)’.

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In the classical world of Greece and Rome, suicide was glorified as a noble death. As early as the second century, Christian teaching condemned suicide, stating it violates the commandment, “Thou shall not kill”, suicide cannot be repented of and lastly, it’s cowardly” (“Suicide.” Encyclopedia of Religion and the Law in America).

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Four hundred thousand deaths, six hundred thousand attempts, and two hundred thousand considerations in a single year. The seeming epidemic that is teen suicide plagues the minds of teachers, students, friends, neighbors, and parents. Despite this wide range of victims, teenage suicide most directly affects the parents of these children, who commonly feel an overwhelming sense of guilt due to their inability to help their children. However, to many it appears obvious that there are not many things parents can do to prevent suicide, for many reasons. Furthermore, William Shakespeare proves this with his tragedy “Romeo and Juliet” in which two teenagers take their lives.

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Throughout the play, Hamlet has various points where he is confronted with suicidal thoughts or attempts. Throughout Hamlet’s first soliloquy “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, / Thaw resolve itself into a dew, / Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! Oh God, God!”

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His depression is so great that he has thought of suicide, a huge cultural sin, as he knows. Hamlet’s thoughtfulness is also conveyed, taking six lines to delve into his emotions.

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Hamlet, after being left alone in the hall, begins to argue with himself about whether “To be or not to be?”(III.i.57). Hamlet discusses the topic on whether he should end his life or keep on living. Throughout Hamlet’s soliloquy he comes up with reasons to support each side of his argument. Hamlet’s sanity is still intact at the moment because if someone who had lost their sanity began to contemplate killing themselves they would commit the act right away without even thinking. In addition, Hamlet manages to list reasons on whether he should go through with killing himself or not which an insane person would not do.

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Death is one of the most prominent themes in Hamlet, appearing in different forms. Shakespeare displays death through the suicide of Ophelia, Hamlet’s own thoughts and eventual suicide, and the murder of King Hamlet and Polonius. Hamlet displays suicidal tendencies throughout the play through his soliloquies. The first time that Hamlet contemplates committing suicide is when Gertrude and Claudius tell him that he has to stay in Denmark in Act one. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, or that the Everlasting had not fixed his canon ‘gainst self-slaughter!

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Hamlet’s ability to overthink situations or decisions makes him conclude that committing suicide might be the easy way out of his indecisiveness. Hamlet overthinks every problem that is happening. He overthinks so much that he cannot make up his decision about what to do with the problem. The cluelessness that is going on within his mind makes him lose his mental status, life and the love of his life. Hamlets actions are hypnotized by his thoughts: “Thus Conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment, With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action” (3.1.85-90).

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Because of how closely religion and moral was tied together, suicide was considered morally wrong due to its classification as a sin. Hamlet himself claims in the «O´ that this too, too solid flesh would melt» soliloquy that he would commit suicide had it not been deemed wrong by the church. In other words, the play Hamlet treats suicide as a

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