Love them or hate them, considering the many narcissistic characters Jane Austen introduces in her novels, one speculates whether she was exposed to countless examples of narcissistic behavior in her own life and social encounters, or simply conjured them to use as foils for her storylines, exaggerating their behaviors to suit her needs as a novelist.
2007 Northanger Abbey – ITV Studios
Some are so egregiously behaved as to become humorous objects of contempt while others take on a more pathological role, malignant, hurtful, and controlling of those near them who should be dear to them. Alas, narcissists hold themselves dearest of all and lack empathy for those around them, instead, manipulating and exploiting others to serve their own purposes. The list is deliciously long and fun to examine.
Persuasion
Sir Walter Elliot jumps immediately to mind as one of the most flagrant narcissists. From the opening chapter we learn he was extremely vain of both his appearance and title. His favorite reading source was the Baronetage in which “he could read his own history with an interest which never failed – this was the page at which the favourite volume always opened.” He surrounded himself with mirrors, better admire himself and evaluated everyone on their appearance and social standing. As a widower, he extended his preferment to his oldest daughter, Elizabeth, at the expense of her two younger sisters, based primarily on her beauty and ability to endlessly project her admiration for his appearance, superior taste, and unerring judgement. In an example of the apple not falling far from the tree, she was also a narcissistic personality mirroring her father’s values, disinterested in any opinions but her own, and embracing flattery from those who would fawn over her.
Pride and Prejudice
Lady Catherine de Bourgh is a classic narcissist, self-involved, demanding to be the center of attention, and expecting special treatment; she was enamored with her own superior opinions and was domineering and intrusive towards those around her. No wonder her passive daughter never had the opportunity to bloom or form an opinion and her nephews appeared to dread visiting her. Her demand for a commitment from Lizzy Bennet not to enter an engagement with Mr. Darcy because of her lack of wealth and consequence was the height of arrogance coming from someone so “wholly disconnected” to the Bennet family.
Only the obsequious Mr. Collins basked in the glory of Lady Catherine’s patronage and was effusive in his praise both in her presence and outside of it. He carried her approbation as a mantle of privilege and a sign of his consequence. He presumed he would be a desirable suitor when he visited Longbourn in search of a wife, convinced that as the future inheritor of the estate, his efforts would be acceptable to which ever daughter he chose, and oblivious to their feelings. It’s difficult to determine if Mr. Collins was also a narcissist or merely a sycophant basking in the glow of his association with Lady Catherine. He may have been vain and self-satisfied, but he was so preoccupied with his benefactress that he appears less focused on himself, a key ingredient for the label of narcissist. Is it possible to be a narcissist by proxy?
Sense and Sensibility
So many choices for the label of narcissist in this cast of characters! Fanny Dashwood and her brother, Robert were entitled, vain, controlling, and completely lacked empathy for others, thereby qualifying for the moniker; but the behavior of Mrs. Ferrars when she abandoned her first-born son, Edward, because of the youthful indiscretion of a secret engagement to Lucy Steele, smacks strongly of a different level of narcissism. Edward had disappointed her grandiose plans for his career and marriage prospects; she was unable to accept his introverted personality traits and lacked empathy for his plight. Unable to control him, she vindictively punished him for refusing to abandon his commitment to Lucy even though his heart, unbeknownst to her, was attached to Elinor Dashwood.
Mrs. Ferrars paid a price for her arrogance when she settled her inheritance on her favorite son, Robert. Once he was named heir, he was no longer obligated to obey his mother’s wishes and was easily manipulated into marriage by the cunning Lucy Steele once she released Edward from his obligation. Dear Lucy, a manipulative, attention seeking, exploiter of opportunities can certainly lay claim to the title of narcissist. Imagine the harmony between all those narcissists living together. Jane vividly describes the “jealousies and ill-will” between Fanny and Lucy, “in which their husbands of course took a part, as well as the frequent domestic disagreements between Robert and Lucy”. Sense and Sensibility is riddled with calculating personalities who qualify for the moniker narcissist.
Emma
Who but Emma can rightfully qualify for the title of narcissist in this novel? In her favor she was not totally lacking in empathy, she was merely caught up in her own perceived powers of discernment, her sense of privilege and status, her conviction that she was always right, and the critical importance of her role caring for her father. She presumed Mr. Churchill was in love with her because she was, after all, Emma, and yet she was appalled that Mr. Elton should express his love after he misinterpreted her behavior as an invitation to courtship and, even worse, was so far beneath her socially. She was the center of her own little universe, amiably inclined to direct the lives of others according to her own best judgement, which often went awry. She is rather a benign narcissist, well intentioned but controlling, concerned for the welfare of others, but out of touch with their needs and desires. She was like a child playing with a doll house, directing the lives of an assortment of dolls in her own little fantasy world. It took Mr. Knightley’s resolve to bring her down to earth and help her understand not just the impact of her behavior on others but also the inclinations of her own heart. Some readers love her and some hate her; either way, I believe what they are really responding to is the challenge of living with a delightfully misguided narcissist.
Mansfield Park
The narcissists in Mansfield Park are a bit more subtle to discern as their behavior is less overt but it is still smacks of entitlement, vanity, and a desire to control others. The candidates? Let’s start with brother and sister duo, Henry and Mary Crawford, charismatic charmers who exhibited the necessary traits. When they made an entrance into local society to visit their half sibling, Mrs. Grant, they enthralled the Bertram offspring with their wit, sophistication, and worldly attitudes. Romantic interest was shared by the young people who were all wealthy, single, and very eligible. While not handsome, Henry had a magnetism that attracted the attention of both the Bertram sisters, most especially Maria, who had recently become engaged. Mary Crawford was “remarkably pretty”, vivacious, outspoken, and a talented harpist. While first born Tom Bertram was the initial target of her interest, his proclivity for sports and other entertainments took him away from home, allowing mutual attraction to percolate between the Edmund and Mary.
Both siblings were entitled, vain, flirtatious, and used to having their own way, secure in their ability to attract and manipulate others. Henry had no qualms about toying with the emotions of Maria, before and after her marriage, eventually leading to her downfall while barely affecting his social standing at all. His newfound interest in Fanny was unwelcome and unrequited yet he pursued her relentlessly to gain his objective, despite her avowed feelings and mistrust of his character. Upon her final rejection he turned to a dalliance with Maria that ruined her reputation and caused a divorce, yet both brother and sister blamed Fanny as the cause, convinced that if she had agreed to marry him, he never would have strayed. The hubris of their reasoning confirmed Fanny’s good judgement of both their characters. While neither was spiteful or completely lacking in empathy, their sense of superiority and desire to make others conform to their wishes is evidence of narcissism.
Tom Bertram can be labeled a narcissist based on his utter disregard for the financial harm he caused his brother with his extravagant spending and distain for the concerns expressed by his father regarding his excesses. Mrs. Norris is another character who always put herself first and enjoyed controlling the lives of others. Her total lack of empathy for young Fanny at all stages of development had a spiteful quality to it that can’t be overlooked. She was in a subservient role to her sister, Lady Bertram, and despised her other sister, Fanny’s mother. Although she deserved censure, I pity poor Maria who was forced to live in exile with the critically opinionated Mrs. Norris while Fanny lived happily ever after with Edmund. How that must have galled Mrs. Norris.
Lady Susan
Was there ever a more despicable mother than Lady Susan? She was featured in one of my earlier posts as the character most “guilty of duplicity” and the designation was well earned as she was clearly guilty of unremitting subterfuge, deceit, and betrayal. There can be no question that she was a classic malignant narcissist who used everyone she encountered for her own personal gain and her treatment of her innocent daughter by trying to force her into an unwanted marriage was unconscionable. One would think she would win this contest hands down, but, no, there is one even worse than Lady Susan.
Northanger Abbey
This has always been my least favorite of the Austen canon, but in a recent re-reading of it I came to recognize something that I’d overlooked before, the malevolent nature of General Tilney. I haven’t read this as often as the other novels and I think my focus on the intrigues of immature and innocent Catherine Moreland, caused me to overlook the malignant narcissist who was General Tilney, and the oppressive environment in which his children were raised. His behavior jumped out at me in ways they never had before; his early, overtly solicitous manners towards Catherine that we learn was based on misinformation from the braggart, John Thorpe, another classic narcissist along with his sister, Isabella.
General Tilney recognized the natural affection of his children for their new friend and having mistaken her for an heiress, sought to foster the relationship by inviting Catherine to visit Northanger Abbey with plans of securing an engagement to Henry. He was like a spider weaving a web by exhorting his children to become intimate acquaintances so he could flaunt his affluence in a plot to advance his own wealth and consequence. It was clear his children had been intimidated by him from an early age, compelled to do his bidding, live by his standards, and measure up to his perfectionist expectations. Displays of his controlling temperament included demanding a timely arrival for the dinner hour which caused his daughter to quake at the prospect of arriving late because her friend didn’t understand the urgency. It was clear they shrank at the prospect of verbal abuse and criticism.
When he discovered Catherine’s humble background, once again from a rejected John Thorpe, he dismissed her from Northanger Abbey in the middle of the night and sent her packing unescorted via post to her home. For some reason, on this reading my blood ran cold as this malignant narcissist was revealed in ways both subtle and overt. I pitied his children, all save his narcissistic first-born son, Captain Tilney, and rejoiced when they escaped his reach through marriage, in the end making Catherine Moreland’s fondest dream come true. Don’t you love a happy ending?
Clever Jane. She provides foils to her heroines, threats to their future happiness, and adds complexity to her stories as we are reviled and appalled by the bad behavior of the narcissists she portrays. Some are a mere irritant, others a comedic obstacle, and the worst of them are pathologically compelled by their own natures to serve themselves above all others and cast off anyone who doesn’t fulfill their unquenchable need for admiration and control. I long to know who the narcissists were in Jane’s life. I have one major suspect, her brother Edward Knight, who was adopted by wealthy relatives at an early age and inherited Godmersham Park and an estate in Chawton. Why? In Jane Austen at Home, Lucy Worsley describes “Edward’s ‘beauty’ and ‘fun and liveliness’, which led to the Knights selecting him.” He proudly rode his pony all the way to Kent and was thought to have worn a green velvet suit as a teenage boy. He sounds like a dandy even in his youth and he strikes me as selfish for not providing more financial support to his mother and sisters despite his wealth, and for taking so long to establish a stable home for them at the cottage in Chawton. Once his mother was widowed with two unmarried daughters, was their plight so beneath his notice that he couldn’t be bothered to arrange suitable accommodations far sooner? He certainly appears arrogant, superior, and lacking in empathy. Don’t you wonder what Jane thought of her wealthy, entitled brother?