Is there a Feminine Narcissism?

Abstract

Abstract Freud did not describe a feminine narcissism, but pointed out the importance of this structure in women, as well as that of masculine identifications. This theme is sought after by a writer, Herta Müller, in six of her novels. She uses the first person and has both male and female protagonists, whom she should, in principle, identify with. All her characters are confronted with narcissistic anxiety (Green), in a totalitarian social context. Narcissistic anxiety is close to the neurotic anxiety, whose forms are, according to Green, the penetration anxiety in women, and castration anxiety in men. At the narcissistic level, Green proposes the intrusion anxiety, in the feminine register, and separation anxiety, in the masculine register. In Herta Müller’s prose, male characters are weak, but rarely overcome with emotions, whilst female characters harbour strong feelings in their bodies. The man would be in a better position to project his anxiety towards the outside of the body, while the woman would feel it more on the inside. The situation would allow the hypothesis of feminine narcissism.