Two Modes of Dying in Attic Tragedy Suicide and Self-Sacrifice as an Act of Heroism or Cowardice

Abstract

This paper deals with the surviving plays of Greek tragedy, in which suicide and self-sacrifice take place during the plot: Ajax, Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Trachiniae, Phoenissae, Hippolytus, The Suppliants Eur., Hecuba, Heracleidae. It primarily focuses on the motivations of the heroes and heroines and the way they choose to end their lives. It also examines the way that suicide is presented to the audience (visually or aurally), the vocabulary used in each case and its meaning and the portrayal of the dead bodies on stage. Through the analysis of the heroes’ and heroines’ inner conflicts, societal pressures, and the cultural backdrop against which these actions occur, this paper aims to elucidate the complex interplay of heroism and cowardice within the framework of ancient Greek tragedy.