A Great Escape

A Great Escape

Why has suicide become popular? Over recent years, the suicide rate

has risen as one of the top ten causes of death in the world. Is this really true?

Has suicide become a way to attract attention or is it an escape to one

person's problems?

Suicide is not something that has recently come into existence. It has

been around for ages. In every culture, suicide is observed in a different way.

Suicide may not have been a choice to some but it was the only way to gain

back what was lost. Chinese warriors took their lives so they would not have

to face the shame of a lost battle. Greek and Roman citizens did not care

about death itself, but in the way one died. Suicide was believed to be an

honor to themselves when their age came to interfere with their travels in a

tribe.

We will look at the concept of suicide through the life of an American

political figure, Abraham Lincoln, and Sylvia Plaths biblical figure of Lady

Lazarus. Although history has told us about the death of Abraham Lincoln

and the bible tells the life of Lazarus, we will come to find the effects of the

contemplation of suicide and suicide itself.

Dominance

Lady Lazarus had been exploited by a man, Herr Doktor, who had

complete control over Lady Lazarus. Herr Doktor had gained Lazarus' power

and left her vulnerable and weak with no means of freedom. Lady Lazarus

knew that her life was put into control by this aggressive and overpowering

man from whence there was no escape.

As for Abraham Lincoln, after entering office, he became

overwhelmed by the weight of presidency. Lincoln felt he was being put

under control by the pressure of everyone's input about critical decisions.

Lincoln had become controlled by the government and its population in

which he probably knew that if he made the wrong decisions, he would not

escape the peoples eye.

Both Lincoln and Lazarus were put into control by outside forces that

had turned them into life-like robots which were to be directed when called

upon. Both felt that they suffered under "dictatorship" and longed to be

independent with out having to look over their backs.

Signs

Lady Lazarus had started to gain signs of depression after being put

under control. Lazarus had struggled to gain advantage over Doktor by

degrading herself but eventually gave up and submitted herself