| Summary: | This study applies Karen Horney’s theory of neurosis as a heuristic framework for analyzing bovarist characters in the literature, offering a comparative literary analysis that integrates psychoanalytic theory with cross-cultural textual examination. By exploring the characters of Emma Bovary in Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Ayşen in Refik Halit Karay’s Bugünün Saraylısı, the article illustrates how Horney’s conceptualization of neurosis – specifically, the formation of an idealized self-image, the neurotic need for affection, ambition, and the ultimate descent into hopelessness – can be operationalized to understand the psychological underpinnings of bovarist figures. By situating the neurotic processes of Emma and Ayşen within Horney’s framework, the analysis demonstrates how their psychological conflicts, rooted in early childhood experiences and exacerbated by socio-cultural factors, manifest in self-alienation, external validation-seeking, and ultimately, existential despair. Through a close reading of textual evidence and theoretical integration, the study argues that bovarism exemplifies a literary articulation of neurosis, revealing the intricate relationship between psychological distress and narrative construction. The findings suggest that this interdisciplinary approach can serve as a model for future literary analyses, offering a nuanced perspective on the intersection of psychoanalytic theory and literary studies across different cultural and historical contexts.
|
|---|
