University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
Hobart, TAS, Australia.
Med J Aust. 2013 Dec 16;199(11):783-6. doi: 10.5694/mja13.10724.
To describe the depiction of completed suicide, non-fatal suicidal acts and suicidal thought in Western opera over the past four centuries.
Examination of synopses all of the operas listed in a recent monograph covering a selection of operas written in the period 1607-2006.
Frequency of completed suicides, non-fatal suicidal acts and suicidal thoughts over the entire 400-year period and in separate 100-year periods (1607-1706, 1707-1806, 1807-1906 and 1907-2006); circumstances of suicides; sex of the suicidal characters; and, for completed suicide, the method.
There were 337 operas in total. In 112 (33%), there was completed suicide alone, non-fatal suicidal acts or suicidal thoughts alone, or both. There was at least one suicide in 74 operas (22%); female characters accounted for 56% of these. Non-fatal suicidal acts or suicidal thoughts were found in 48 operas (14%); male characters accounted for 57% of these. Suicide, non-fatal acts and suicidal thoughts always followed an undesirable event or situation. Cutting or stabbing was the most common method of suicide (26 cases). Other methods included poisoning (15 cases), drowning (10 cases), hanging (four cases), asphyxiation (four cases), "supernatural" methods (four cases), immolation (three cases), jumping from a height (two cases), shooting (one) and blunt trauma (one). Mass suicide occurred on two occasions.
Over several centuries in opera, suicide has been frequently represented as an option when characters have been faced with a distressing event or situation. Historical fluctuations in the frequency of suicidal behaviour in opera may be explained by changes in attitudes towards suicide and its conceptualisation.
描述过去四个世纪西方歌剧中对自杀、非致命性自杀行为和自杀意念的描述。
对最近一部涵盖 1607 年至 2006 年期间创作的部分歌剧的专论中列出的所有歌剧的概要进行检查。
整个 400 年期间以及在单独的 100 年期间（1607-1706、1707-1806、1807-1906 和 1907-2006）中完成自杀、非致命性自杀行为和自杀意念的频率；自杀的情况；自杀角色的性别；以及对于完成自杀，自杀的方法。
共有 337 部歌剧。其中 112 部（33%）单独出现过自杀、非致命性自杀行为或自杀意念，或同时出现。有 74 部歌剧（22%）中至少出现过一次自杀；其中女性角色占 56%。发现 48 部歌剧（14%）中存在非致命性自杀行为或自杀意念；其中男性角色占 57%。自杀、非致命行为和自杀意念总是紧随不如意的事件或情况之后。割伤或刺伤是最常见的自杀方法（26 例）。其他方法包括中毒（15 例）、溺水（10 例）、上吊（4 例）、窒息（4 例）、“超自然”方法（4 例）、自焚（3 例）、从高处跳下（2 例）、枪击（1 例）和钝器伤（1 例）。有两次发生了集体自杀。
在几个世纪的歌剧中，当角色面临令人痛苦的事件或情况时，自杀经常被视为一种选择。歌剧中自杀行为频率的历史波动可以用对自杀及其概念化的态度变化来解释。
