Villette Narcissistic Characteristics

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Lucy Snowe, the enigmatic narrator and main character in Charlotte Brontë’s novel Villette, constantly prides herself on her independence and self-control; she is reserved and limited in the expression of her emotions with other characters, and with the reader as well, so many of her feeling and thoughts go unwritten, or are filtered in some way. Lucy displays several narcissistic attributes throughout the novel, many of which are highlighted and reflected through her interactions with prominent characters, primarily the females. Only through her conversations and portrayals of select women does Lucy subconsciously reveal her true perception of herself. As early as Chapter 2 does Lucy begin exhibiting narcissistic characteristics; with the …show more content…

While narcissists are considered to be arrogant and haughty, in reality their self-absorbed nature acts as a mask to cover their insecurities and internal self-loathing. While Lucy never explicitly states just how little she thinks of herself, it becomes apparent through the way she reacts and comments on other characters and the interactions between them. For example, when Ginevra tells Lucy “I would not be you for a kingdom” (160), Lucy justifies her passive response by blaming it on Ginevra’s naivety, when in reality, she probably agrees with Ginevra’s degrading statement regarding Lucy’s self-worth. Ginevra acts as a foil to Lucy in that she highlights not only the contrast between her and Lucy’s intellectual level, which is superior, but the different levels of self-esteem as …show more content…

These splits in mood, characteristic of a narcissist as defined by the DSM, represent her uncertainty and insecurity in regards to her own feelings. Lucy confusingly continues to surround herself with people who have little to no regard for her or her feelings, but this behavior can be attributed to the narcissistic desire to surround oneself with “other special or high-status people” (DSM handout, DSM definition). Despite Ginevra’s rude and ignorant, albeit honest, personality, Lucy continues to spends time with her because she exudes the confidence and success of the upper class; that level of beauty and wealth is what Lucy subconsciously strives to achieve after her tragic past bereft of love and happiness. As Lucy is still searching for her place in the world, and still searching for someone to follow, Ginevra, and later Polly, provide temporary leave from her perpetual state of loneliness and confusion. Through examination of Lucy and Ginevra’s strange and one-sided relationship, additional insight into Lucy’s damaged and degenerating psyche is revealed, only to further prove that she is slipping deeper into her disease, while sometimes bordering onto something more damaged and

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