An interpretation of suicide and murder character elimination in selected isiXhosa literary texts

Abstract

This article investigates character elimination by means of suicide and murder in selected isiXhosa dramas. It is noticed that women characters in particular are most likely to commit suicide when they are frustrated by something. In the selected texts, the characters who commit suicide or murder do not do so by choice, but as a result of reaching a point of absolute desperation in their lives or because of having to be loyal to traditional culture. The experiences they have been through drive them to abnormal behaviour and to choose death (their own or that of others) as the only alternative to their problems.

South African Journal of African Languages 2014, 34(1): 41–48