Eros and Thanatos

Beginning with an examination of suicide's portrayal in Western literature, particularly its connection to existentialdespair and rebellious acts, this chapter transitions to a broader inquiry: Is suicide, as an act of desperation, amodern phenomenon, or has it been intrinsic to the human experience since ancient times? Through a survey ofphilosophical perspectives ranging from ancient Stoicism to Freud, the chapter delves into literary representationsof love and suicide as to investigates why love prompts death.