Epithets

Suicide in the US and Ancient Greece

Suicide can be really difficult to discuss because it is such a sensitive and emotionally difficult subject. Most of us have personal experience with suicide, whether that’s family, friends, acquaintances, or even concerning our own struggles. It has existed throughout time, and the reasons for which people choose suicide and the context that it has happened in have changed. However, if we take a deeper look at the why, we will observe more similarities at the heart of this issue than differences.

In many ways, suicide was much different historically than it is today. Suicide for the ancient Greeks was often an acceptable form of death, in order to gain back or maintain one’s honor. Honor, to the Greek people, was practically the purpose of life. For example, the demigod Achilles was an incredible fighter, and was asked by King Agamemnon to stay and fight in the Trojan war, but because of an Oracle, he knew what his fate was. In the Iliad, he says, “If I stay here and fight, I’ll never return home, but my glory will be undying forever, If I return home to my dear fatherland, my glory is lost but my life will be long” (Iliad Book 9, p. 98). For Achilles, it was was worth sacrificing a long, content life for death because it meant he would have eternal glory and honor.

When glory and honor were out of reach, suicide was often the escape. Ajax is an example of someone who fit this description. Ajax lost in a competition against Odysseus for the armor of Achilles, which was a dishonor to him. After a chain of events, he was so mentally distressed, dishonored, and sad, that eventually he fell on his sword, which was a common way they committed suicide in those days. In his final speech, he says, “Look at me! Me, the brave hero! The one who never trembles with fear in battle! Never afraid of enemies! Look at what I’ve done! I have killed these helpless animals, poor beasts that have never hurt anyone! Look at me! Is there anyone more shameful than me? Is there anyone who’s suffered a greater insult?” (Sophocles, "Greek Dramas", p149). In one of the black figure pottery paintings, Ajax is displayed solitary, contemplating and preparing to kill himself. This illustrates very well how he must have felt- dejected, alone, hopeless, shame, dishonor, regret, and truly believing he had nothing left to live for.

If we want another example of suicide in ancient Greece, we need look no further than the story of Oedipus. His father, the King, was cursed to have a son who would kill him and sleep with his mother, Jocasta. He eventually grew up, and heard of the prophecy from a different seer, tried to run from his fate, and ended up fulfilling it. When both Oedipus and Jocasta find out the truth, and she is absolutely distraught. From Jocasta’s perspective, everything in her life is awful. Her first husband was killed, her son (who she thought was dead) killed him, then married her, then they had kids together. In addition, because of this unholy union, their land is cursed with a plague. In Oedipus Rex, she is described as “frenzied”, “snatching her hair with both her hands”, calling to hear dead husband, mourning, and groaning, all of which eventually led her to lock herself in her chamber and hang herself (Oedipus Rex, p. 55). In this case, suicide as was not as much about maintaining honor as it was about shame, which was also the case for Ajax.

Compared to the ancient Greek times, suicide is a very different issue in many ways. The state of Utah has the 5th highest rate of suicide out of all the states. Not only is it much more common now than it used to be, but there are different problems that are causing it to occur or make the issue worse. Mental health is one of the biggest reasons for suicide and suicide attempts. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses don’t cause suicide, but the lack of treatment or the side effects from those mental illness can. Social media is one factor that can negatively affect this as well. Social media, although there are a lot of positives, creates a lot of competition and makes people feel like there is a mold they have to fit into. When individuals feel like there are expectations they can’t live up to, it can create hopelessness and shame. They are under this incredible pressure to be something other than themselves and it can make mental illness even worse. This pressure can also include school, friends and peers, and religion. In the church culture we live in, shame can be even worse. When dealing with religion, if an individual feels like they don’t fit in, don’t share beliefs, or have questions, they can feel displaced and isolated. The LGBTQ community is a good example of this. Suicide rates of these individuals are often much higher because of this shame they feel and people not accepting them.

Even though these may seem different and unrelated, there are so many similarities between the two cultures and situations. In both time periods, shame is a fairly obvious theme and cause of suicide. People holding themselves to too high of expectations, feeling like failures, and feeling a lack of hope all connect to this idea and connect these two time periods. Another similarity is the easy access to harmful tools and weapons. In ancient Greek times, warriors would always have their armor and swords, so if they were dishonored, they would fall on their swords and kill themselves like Ajax did. Now, the weapons we have access to are all around us as well. According to an article from the Salt Lake Tribune, “All the states with high suicide rates, including Utah, also have higher than average rates of gun ownership” (Hoping to Counter...). Medication is also one that is sometimes overlooked but can be abused, as well as more archaic or historic forms, such as how Jocasta killed herself. Mental health is also a similarity. As illustrated by Ajax and Jocasta, when mental health isn’t treated and and people don’t have healthy coping skills, it can end in disaster. The biggest difference between the two time periods was that in Greece, it was often a way to redeem oneself, where now, especially in a religious culture, it is viewed as exactly the opposite, a dishonorable sin.

The reasons people commit suicide reveal a lot about the society in which they live. In Greece, they valued country and honor over the individual person or family. Achilles chose honor and death over a happy life. In our culture, we feel like we have this standard we have to live up to, expectations to meet, which could also in a way be looked at as a type of honor, or at least avoiding the opposite of honor- shame. Suicide is still an issue because the “why” has not changed, even if the context and issues around it have slightly. Today, we have the opportunity and resources to make a change. If we do so successfully, we will be able to look back in a thousand years and see a whole different side of history.