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The original story of Narcissus was first recorded by Ovid at the beginning of the First Century in Metamorphoses; such is its psychological power that it has been frequently reinterpreted in literature and song over the centuries. Scenes from the story, especially the reflection episode, have often been visually depicted, the painting by Salvador Dali being a well-known modern example. From Freud (1914) onwards, the story has fascinated and continues to fascinate psychotherapists, including Jungians (e.g. Schwartz-Salant, 1982) Psychoanalysts (e.g. Kohut, 1971, Kernberg, 1975, Mollon, 1993, Symington, 1993) and Humanistic Practitioners (e.g. Johnson, 1987, Yontef, 1993). Even within the D.S.M. IV, Narcissus gets a mention, giving his name to a Personality Disorder .
In Ovid's version, Narcissus is the issue of a rape: Cephisus, a river-god, ravishes Leiriope, a nymph. Leiriope asks Teiresias, the blind seer, if Narcissus will live to a ripe old age. The seer answers: 'Yes, if he does not come to know himself.' As a baby, Narcissus is loved by everyone for his beauty and he grows up to be a beautiful young man but is hardhearted and vain. He has many admirers who love him, but he never returns their love. He is cruel and sadistic, on one occasion sending a lover a sword with which to commit suicide. One of his admirers is the nymph Echo, who can only mirror him by repeating his words - Narcissus fears that responding to her love will lead to his own enslavement or exploitation and shouts at her: 'Hands off! Embrace me not! May I die before I give you power over me!' She despairs at his not responding to her and eventually fades away with sorrow, leaving only her voice.
Narcissus is punished for his cruelty by Artemis, who shows him his reflection in a pool. Narcissus becomes captivated by his own beautiful image and, realising that he will never love anyone as much as he loves himself, stabs himself to death in despair. The flower called narcissus springs up from his blood.
Mollon comments that 'violence, envy, sadism and masochism pervade the story which is one of repeated victimisations.' (Mollon, 1993: 34) He notes the sense of death and deadliness within the story and reflects that 'this deadliness might be understood as reflecting the cessation of growth as Narcissus becomes trapped in a developmental cul de sac.'
Narcissus cannot love another: he turns away from the world and the possibility of mutual love found with another and, preferring the illusory 'safety' of self- absorption, succumbs to despair and death.
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