KJCKorea
Journal Central

In western literature, suicide was one of the most important motives. Also, we can see frequent use of suicidal motives in the German’s naturalism works. Suicidal motives also play an important role in <<Lonesome people>> by Hauptmann, a representative playwriter of German naturalism. This paper focuses on describing multiple perspectives of suicidal motives of Johannes, the main character. First, the suicide by Johannes can be interpreted as Durkheim’s “egoistic” suicide. Second, his death can be categorized by Freud’s psychoanalysis. Third, the realistic problem, which is economical stress, influenced his suicide.

suicide, lonesome people, Hauptmann, naturalism, Durkheim, superego