OBSESSION WITH PHYSICAL IMMORTALITY IN OSCAR WILDE’S THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

Abstract

This study examines the obsession with physical immortality in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray using Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, specifically the id, ego, and superego. It aims to identify the underlying factors driving this obsession and analyze its detrimental effects on psychological stability, moral integrity, and social relationships. Using a qualitative narrative approach, the novel is the primary data source. The results show the obsession stems from the id's dominance, pursuing pleasure and eternal youth, exacerbated by social pressure internalized through the superego. The negative impact is seen in personality disintegration (anxiety, paranoia), social isolation, and moral decay. The research concludes the obsessive pursuit, driven by uncontrollable desires and social pressures, is self-destructive. These findings are relevant to literary context and contemporary discussions on mental health and beauty standards. The study offers an analytical framework for understanding contemporary obsessions (like material success or popularity) rooted in an imbalance between the id, ego, and superego, often at the expense of psychological well-being and human relationships.