Love, Death, and – No Hospital!: Assisted dying, “Liebestod,” and Existential Suffering
Journal
Literature and Medicine
ISSN
1080-6571
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2024-03
Author(s)
Abstract
Contemporary literature about assisted dying in Germany, Switzerland, and France repeatedly explores the impact of illness on romantic relationships. Faced with the imminent or experienced death of their loved one, the healthy partner is affected by existential suffering and refuses to outlive the other. This dynamic leads to (joint) suicide, echoing the literary tradition of the Liebestod, where lovers prefer death over separation. This paper examines three contemporary texts on this theme. It illustrates that while the Liebestod is depicted as a romantic death, it inherently rejects a medicalized end of life. Despite overlaps between palliative care and the notion of a "good death," palliative care is absent, as the focus is on avoiding the existential suffering from losing a beloved partner, making suicide the only viable option.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Project MUSE
Volume
42
Number
1
Start page
112
End page
136
Subject(s)
Division(s)