The defense mechanisms and the behaviour of the criminal mind

This study aims to explore the dark side of human conduct and the defense mechanisms of the unconscious. The dissertation follows an interdisciplinary approach in the field of Psychoanalysis concentrating on the behaviour of the villain. I investigated the role of the superego and object relations which have a crucial impact on the individual's psyche. I extended the study by examining the effects of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder on criminal actions. To further introduce these effects, a close reading on the major characters of Robert Browning's My Last Duchess, William Shakespeare's Othello and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray concluded the study. This study primarily centres upon the reasons and defenses of criminal acts and the effects of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder.