A Psychological Analysis of Narcissism and Perfectionism in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray

Abstract

This study analyzes narcissism and obsession with perfection in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray through a psychoanalytic perspective. The research aims to identify the internal and external factors influencing Dorian Gray's narcissistic behavior and to examine how narcissism and perfectionism contribute to his moral decline. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method using library research. The primary data source is Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, while secondary data are obtained from books, journal articles, and previous studies concerning psychoanalysis, narcissism, and perfectionism. The findings reveal that Dorian Gray's narcissistic behavior is shaped by both internal factors—including insecurity, fear of aging, excessive self-admiration, and the desire to maintain an ideal self-image—and external factors, such as Lord Henry's influence, Victorian social values, and the glorification of beauty and pleasure. Furthermore, the interaction between narcissism and perfectionism gradually weakens Dorian's moral judgment, leading to manipulation, violence, and self-destruction. Through Dorian Gray's character, Oscar Wilde criticizes a society that values beauty and external appearance more highly than morality and humanity. The study concludes that excessive narcissism and perfectionism may ultimately result in psychological instability, moral deterioration, and the destruction of personal identity.