From Ego to Empowerment: Deconstructing Narcissism in Margaret Atwood’s Dystopian Masterpieces

Abstract

The goal of this study, From Ego to Empowerment Deconstructing Narcissism in Margaret Atwood's Dystopian Masterpieces, is to identify and evaluate which characters in The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments characterize as Simone de Beauvoir's Narcissist in her theory on the Other. According to this, the narcissist makes their own ego and desires the focus of their universe. They look to other people for approval, exaltation, and attention to boost their sense of worth. This desire for outside approval frequently results from insecurity, which people try to mask by portraying themselves as exceptional. According to the analysis, Paula, Shunammite, Aunt Vidala, Aunt Lydia all exhibit characteristics of a Narcissist. Paula and Shunammite take delight in staging themselves as successful women—the role they create for themselves—and revel to the glory it brings. Aunt Vidala sees herself a righteous woman who gives herself a pass on guilt when she does something terrible, making her mysticism as the cause of her narcissism. Lastly, Aunt Lydia, enjoys her power, as the Aunt with highest authority, which makes the idea of losing it and shrinking back to a normal woman difficult to stomach. The study also examined the Narcissist's role in patriarchal society. The Narcissist's stance illustrates that culture, religion, politics, business, and social norms often justify male dominance in civilizations. Family, religion, culture, tradition, and politics must be re-evaluated to include women as subjects of their own lives and as human rights.