Narcissism and envy in unison: a psychological and aesthetic interpretation of Leo Tolstoy's the Kreutzer sonata

the article provides a psychoanalytic interpretation of L.N. Tolstoy's story "The Kreutzer Sonata" through the prism of Z. Freud's key concepts of dreams, libido and narcissism. It is proved that the author's unconscious conflicts and repressed desires are transformed into artistic images and plot collisions, forming the narrative core of the work. An analysis of the evolution of the hero Pozdnyshev's libido reveals its stages, naturally leading to a tragic denouement. His narcissistic personality organization is examined, manifested in pathological egocentrism and delusional jealousy as a consequence of a deep crisis of self-identification. The article contributes to Tolstoy studies, revealing the work as a prophetic study of destructive passions and the tragedy of personality.

Leo Tolstoy, "The Kreutzer Sonata", psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, narcissism