Echoes of Narcissus

Abstract: Starting from the myth of Narcissus and Echo (specifically the version in Ovid's Metamorphoses), I will explore themes that have been less examined in psychoanalytic reflections on narcissism: the role of Echo (not mentioned in Freud’s index), the violent circumstances of Narcissus's birth, the impact of prophecies and curses, Narcissus’s despair, and his transformation into a flower. Narcissism appears as a choice rather than a consequence of lacking a function that would enable us to navigate relational challenges without anguish. Myths confront us with unsolvable paradoxes. In the myth of Narcissus and Echo, the central issues are the complex search for identity and the drama inherent in relationality, with emotions such as despair and loneliness at play. After outlining the perspective of Bionian Field Theory, I will delve into some of the myth’s themes through key moments in Rita's analysis. The goal is to describe the narcissistic configuration with the understanding that Narcissus cannot be considered without Echo, as the myth fundamentally speaks of an “impossible unison.”