Suicide in Ibsen's Plays

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The suicides and homicides in Ibsen's plays are examined in relation to Hendin's hypotheses about Scandinavian suicide. In general, the suicides had dependency loss characteristics; the victim‐precipitated homicides had characteristics of guilt over transgression, as expected. However, elements of suicide as a vehicle for preserving or restoring an ideal self‐image were also present in many of the characters, suggesting that Hendin's conclusions about the Scandinavians may be oversimplifications.