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Narcissism

Psychology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A psychological condition marked by excessive self-admiration, vanity, or fixation on one’s own image or importance.

Detailed Definition
Narcissism involves fragile self-esteem masked by grandiosity. Poetry critiques it through ironic self-portraiture, mirror imagery, or mythic allusion (e.g., Narcissus), exposing the hollowness beneath self-adoration.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus,” narcissism performs resurrection for an audience; In Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” narcissism demands absolute control; In T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” narcissism fixates on self-image; In W.B. Yeats’ “A Prayer for My Daughter,” narcissism projects ideals onto the child; In Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” narcissism rebels against societal repression; In Ocean Vuong’s “Notebook Fragments,” narcissism intertwines with self-examination.
Additional Notes
Narcissism—excessive self-focus—often appears in dramatic monologues (Browning) or confessional poetry (Plath); differs from healthy self-love by its lack of empathy; poetic techniques include self-referential language, mirrors, or audience address; students should consider whether narcissism is pathological or performative; note its link to trauma—narcissism can mask vulnerability.
Also Known As
Narcissistic personality Self-love Egocentrism Vanity
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