Suicide in American Literature

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that Sylvia Plath's and Abraham Lincoln's poetry both bear the mark of taboo American literature given the frank nature of their discussions of self-annihilation. The paper shows how Plath's "Edge" and Lincoln's "Suicide's Soliloquy" each offer unique perspectives on death and suicide using the literary conventions typical of their generation. The paper believes that although Lincoln uses poetic language and literary devices that are outmoded, his writing is equally as accessible as Plath's.

From the Paper:

"Both Sylvia Plath and Abraham Lincoln wrote about suicide, and therefore both undoubtedly contemplated the act. Plath did end her own life, though, whereas Lincoln's life ended by his homicide at the hands of John Wilkes Booth. Suicide and its accompanying emotional components are not novel topics for poets. Poetry is defined by its emotionality and hyperbole. Suicide is, however, a taboo topic in American culture because of the ingrained optimism that is a part of the country's worldview. Manifest Destiny and the American Dream preclude morbid thinking and so suicidal ideation is not widely expressed in American literature. Therefore, Plath's and Lincoln's poetry both bear the mark of taboo American literature given the frank nature of their discussions of self-annihilation."

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