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Volume 17 Number 1, April 2016

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Narcissistic Perceptions in Paloma Pedrero’s Resguardo personal

 by

Jennifer Marie Corry

Berry College

 

Paloma Pedrero, one of contemporary Spain’s brilliant playwrights and essayists, explores a number of themes pertinent to post Francoist Spain, especially in terms of gender roles and women’s freedom.  Her perceptive depictions of modern life reveal a sharp understanding of the psychological impact that centuries of inequality has had on both men and women with narcissism as one of the results, which has the effect of creating distance and separation in relationships.  Her play, Resguardo personal, expertly showcases the impact narcissism has on a traditional marriage in the modern world.

In the play Pedrero creates an intense dialogue that reveals deep underlying tensions in the marriage between Marta and Gonzalo.  Marta, having just left her husband in order to free herself of the oppression of his narcissism, is forced to devise a clever ruse to exert her independence.  Pedrero’s characters strive for a liberating sense of self but an other is required to make progress toward self-definition (Perri, 2003, 47).  Marta, struggling for independence and the space to define her own life as whole person, contrasts greatly with Gonzalo’s need to control, which is just one of the symptoms of his narcissistic personality disorder that has arisen, in part, because of unequal gender role expectations.  As Eric Pennington explains,

Resguardo personal depicts a husband behaving in a chauvinistic manner, trying to subjugate the wife’s behavior and speech to conform to his will.  Upon examining Gonzalo’s intimidating language, we see that the playwright has purposely departed from the traditional male-centered plot to present scenarios that provoke ‘female rage’ via the language of Gonzalo.  (Pennington, 2006, 36)

As will be demonstrated below, it is through Gonzalo’s language coupled with his actions, that his narcissistic condition is revealed.

Both husband and wife have discovered that the socially prescribed roles assigned to them do not really work, but while Marta accepts this and begins to create a new life, “[e]n el transcurso de la obra, estas mujeres han de aprender a desligarse del rol que han estado desempeñando durante toda su vida”[1] (Weege, 1999, 107), Gonzalo struggles against it.  His narcissism will not allow him to perceive, much less accept, another way to live and he does not wish to forfeit the privileges societal norms have always afforded him, which is clearly demonstrated through his use of language.  Yet, Marta as responds with calculated calm and intelligence, it is Gonzalo’s narcissism that will keep him trapped in an outdated role.

            It is important to review a general definition of narcissism to better understand Gonzalo’s condition:

 

Narcissistic personality is characterized by an inflated sense of self that is reflected in feelings of superiority, arrogant behavior, and a need for constant attention and admiration.  Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder display a grandiose sense of self-importance, have little empathy for others, may become preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success and power, and expect to be recognized by others as superior and special.  Consistent with these feelings of grandiosity, individuals with high levels of narcissistic traits have a sense of entitlement and an expectation of special privileges, and they exploit and manipulate those around them to fulfill this expectation.  Despite narcissists’ high opinion of themselves, their self-esteem is unstable, and they may react with extreme hostility to any perceived threat to their self-concept.  (Bogart, 2004, 36)

 

            In order to escape the oppressive nature of her husband’s condition, Marta has begun a new life, but before she can be free, she must also free her beloved canine companion.  Marta’s appearance of waiting at the beginning of the piece suggests that she is impatient for the ordeal to begin and suggests that the decision to test Gonzalo in this manner was a difficult one.  She has devised a clever test for Gonzalo, which was only made possible by her attention to her husband during their marriage, intimating that she truly loved him in the past.  Gonzalo, suffering from his acute case of narcissism, is at a disadvantage because this condition will not allow him to profoundly know his wife because, in his mind, she is only an extension of himself, who is someone that prefers the role of upstanding, traditional man.  Conventional marriage standards dictated that the wife subordinate herself to her husband, which has led Gonzalo to believe he has a right to his wife’s deference.  Pedrero, however, rejects the traditional image depicted by female dramatists in the 1940s and 1950s, which “encoded male power by creating positive portraits of virtuous, feminine submission and negative images of women who failed to conform to masculine standards of femininity” (O’Connor, 1990, 377).  Marta rebels against this image, demonstrates that times have changed and that men who fail to recognize women as autonomous, separate, and capable human beings will not enjoy the pleasure of their company, nor ever know the depth of possibility a relationship with an independent woman could bring. 

            Gonzalo’s personality disorder is made evident when he first appears at her door and Marta asks him what he wants.  He responds with the question “¿Cómo que qué quiero?”[2] (Pedrero, 1999, 105).  He expects Marta to already know what he wants because, to a narcissist, others are merely an extension of self.  “[N]arcissistic people relate to others only by seeing aspects of themselves mirrored” (Irwin, 1995, 659), therefore, in her ex-husband’s mind, Marta could not possibly have anything else on her mind beyond Gonzalo.  While it is true that she does indeed know why he is there, it is for a completely different reason.  Societal norms have called for women to be attentive to their husbands and cater to their needs, thus teaching them how to think beyond themselves, which greatly benefits Marta.  Her attentive observation and ability to understand an other has given her the information she needs to custom design a test for Gonzalo.

            She has constructed a shrewd test based on her keen perception of Gonzalo in order to give him one last opportunity to redeem himself, suggesting, in contrast to her husband, that Marta cares about the impact a swift judgment can have on another being.  Gonzalo, on the other hand, does not respect Marta’s boundaries, as evidenced by his insistence that she allow him into her new apartment (Pedrero, 1999, 105).  He does not care that she is about to leave as he cannot fathom that any part of her life could be more important than him.  Later, he again blocks her exit (Pedrero, 1999, 110), essentially holding her prisoner in her own house, just as he had when she lived with him as his wife.  Gonzalo’s narcissism will not allow him to recognize Marta as an autonomous being and she remains, in his eyes, nothing but a possession who must be prepared at all times to serve his every whim.  Marta, however, draws a line by referring to the home she used to share with Gonzalo as “tu casa”[3] (Pedrero, 1999, 105), clearly delineating that she is no longer a part of that world, and also suggesting that Marta never felt like an equal living in his house.  Nonetheless, it is plain that Gonzalo is incapable of hearing her or respecting her boundaries. 

            Physical force is not Gonzalo’s only weapon.  When he speaks in emotional terms, he first states “No me voy a enfadar”[4] (Pedrero, 1999, 106), implying that he has gotten angry many times in the past.  He then speaks as if Marta were responsible for his feelings, “[n]o empieces a ponerme nervioso.  Te pido que no me hagas perder los estribos”[5] (Pedrero, 1999, 106).  By placing responsibility for his feelings on Marta’s shoulders, Gonzalo is then free to lose emotional control, as he hypocritically shouts, “¡Deja de hablarme en ese tono!”[6] (Pedrero, 1999, 106).  He continues this line of veiled threats later with “Te advierto que no te lo voy a pedir más”[7] and “Es tu última oportunidad”[8] (Pedrero, 1999, 109).  “Gonzalo’s language exposes him as the sexist intimidator he is.  When he is not commanding, he is issuing ultimatums and mouthing obscenities” (Pennington, 2006, 37).  He does not understand that this way of relating will no longer work.  Only a relationship that recognizes both partners as autonomous and equal will, but that would require Gonzalo to recognize Marta as a separate being, which he is unable to do.

            Astutely, Marta placates Gonzalo by feigning illness, indicating that she knows he will abandon his temper in favor of taking control of her body, and she is correct.  “That which intimidation cannot produce can perhaps be achieved through feigned compassion” (Pennington, 2006, 37).  Gonzalo calms down immediately and appears to demonstrate concern for her when he believes he will have control.  However, it is not genuine concern, as evidenced later by Gonzalo’s declaration of his diagnosis that she is crazy and ill.  It is simply another way in which Gonzalo attempts to control Marta.  His apparent compassion that accompanies his medical expertise quickly disappears when he perceives that he no longer has that control.  “But the husband is not really giving medical advice here.  It is evident that he is slyly attempting to establish a pretext for Marta to return to him” (Pennington, 2006, 37).  Gonzalo does not want a relationship that would make Marta happy because he is not capable of perceiving or considering her feelings.  He only wants things to return to the way they were before she left, which would satisfy the vacuum created by his narcissistic personality disorder, albeit only temporarily.   

Gonzalo’s condition is also made evident in his speech pattern.  Clinical research among various groups such as schizophrenics, hysterics, obsessives and maniacs has shown that the first person singular is used more than the first person plural.  Narcissists “tend to use language in an autocentric manner in order to regulate well-being or self-esteem rather than in an allocentric manner for the purposes of communicating or understanding others (Raskin, 1988, 395).  Gonzalo speaks in the first person singular abundantly while only stating a few phrases in the plural, “[t]enemos que hablar”[9] (Pedrero, 1999, 105), “[v]amos a hablar”[10] (Pedrero, 1999, 107), “[n]os estamos jodiendo la vida”[11] (Pedrero, 1999, 107), “[p]odemos arreglar las cosas…”[12] (Pedrero, 1999, 109), “he estado pensando mucho en nosotros”[13] (Pedrero, 1999, 109), and “[q]uiero ganar dinero para que vivamos bien”[14] (Pedrero, 1999, 109).  The remainder of Gonzalo’s speech is filled with references to himself in the first person and a few to Marta in the second as a separate entity, clearly revealing Gonzalo’s lack of sense as part of a “we.”  Marta’s references to past experiences with Gonzalo, such as her criticism of his inability to take her out after they were married (Pedrero, 1999, 108), demonstrate a desire she once had to have a sense of “we” with her husband.  His inability to form a real emotional bond with Marta, his I-centered speech, and his dismissal of interpersonal goals further underscore the seriousness of Gonzalo’s narcissistic condition.

            Another symptom is a desire to isolate the target from relationships with friends, family, and animals and Gonzalo is no exception.  His pretense for coming to Marta’s house is to retrieve his dog.  By the time he leaves, however, it has become plain that he never cared for the dog and is only interested in destroying Marta’s relationship with the creature.  The dog represents attention taken away from Gonzalo, which he finds unbearable and thus he uses the dog as a weapon to hurt Marta.  In contrast, to Marta the dog is an independent, sentient being that deserves respect and love, as evidenced not only by her careful plan to test Gonzalo but also in the way she speaks about and to the animal.     

In spite of precedent, Marta is still willing to give Gonzalo an opportunity to prove himself capable of humane feelings by demonstrating genuine affection toward her.  For example, she attempts to turn the conversation toward topics that interest her, such as hanging a poster or getting her piano (Pedrero, 1999, 107), yet Gonzalo cannot or will not hear her.  He can focus only on himself and becomes increasingly agitated as he realizes that Marta is no longer focused solely on him.  Desperately he shouts, “¡Cállate!  Quiero… estoy jodido, Marta”[15] (Pedrero, 1999, 107) in reference to his potential promotion and it hinging on Gonzalo remaining married.  The appearance of marriage, but not its substance, is all that is important to him and suggests that if Gonzalo’s promotion hinged on status as a bachelor, he would surely have rid himself of Marta long ago or never engaged in a relationship with her in the first place.

            In spite of Marta’s attempts to explain, once again, what a relationship entails, Gonzalo will not accept his part of the responsibility in the rupture.  Marta points out, “que lo mejor de estar casado es no tener que preocuparse de pasear a la novia”[16] (Pedrero, 1999, 108) clearly indicating that once Gonzalo had procured a socially binding commitment from Marta, he no longer felt any obligation to maintain the relationship.  As long as it appeared to the rest of the world that he had a socially acceptable married life, Gonzalo need put forth no effort.  The hollow that his narcissistic condition created in his soul encouraged distance and emphasis on facades, leaving nothing but a house of cards that is inadequate to satisfy a healthy human being like Marta.

Gonzalo’s preoccupation with appearances is further highlighted when he admonishes Marta, not for having the affair itself, but for having let the doorman see her having it (Pedrero 108).  Marta taunts Gonzalo with a vivid reference to it by declaring, “Jamás lo hicimos en nuestra cama”[17] (Pedrero, 1999, 108).  If Gonzalo had feelings for his wife, he would react accordingly and feel hurt, yet Gonzalo simply shouts “¡Eso es lo de menos”[18] (Pedrero, 1999, 108).  Adultery committed by men tends to be forgiven more easily than if it is committed by a woman (Hunyady, 2008, 281), yet in this instance, Gonzalo does not care that Marta had an affair beyond its impact on the neighbors’ perceptions.  This is logical since narcissists tend to derive their sense of wellbeing from the approval and admiration of others.  Gonzalo prefers to spend his time attempting to patch up the holes in the façade that the neighbors can see rather than using his energy to repair the foundation and infrastructure of what was supposed to be a meaningful relationship. 

            As stated earlier, narcissists are incapable of feeling empathy for anyone else as others are merely an extension of self.  Therefore, in Gonzalo’s mind, Marta’s purpose in life is to ensure her husband’s success and comfort.  When Gonzalo declares, “[t]ienes que volver.  No me acostumbro a estar solo”[19] (Pedrero, 1999, 108), it is evident that he is not capable of understanding Marta when she replies that it was he who first abandoned her.  Because Gonzalo did not experience the long hours of solitude in which he abandoned his wife, he is incapable of acknowledging it, much less understanding it.  He does not comprehend that a relationship is more than simply paying the bills and smiling to maintain the neighbors’ approval.  Like other narcissists, he is incapable of feeling empathy, which facilitates his easily disregarding anyone else’s judgment and perception (Atlas, 2008, 63), unless, of course, it is to bolster his ego.  Marta, like so many voiceless, invisible wives shares “a common experience of betrayal and abandonment by a collective antagonist represented by men who, by and large, are unidimensional, narcissistic scoundrels with few redeeming qualities” (Lamartina-Lens, 1990, 64).

Gonzalo continues his demands with “[t]ienes que comprenderme”[20] (Pedrero, 1999, 109) and “[s]i no me echas una mano no voy a conseguir sacar la plaza”[21] (Pedrero, 1999, 109).  He does not offer to improve his behavior, or recognize his responsibility in the marriage difficulties and he is not concerned with Marta’s happiness, which reinforces the reader’s observation that all that matters is promotion at work and continued perceived admiration from the public at large, no matter what the price is to others.

            Profound insight into Gonzalo’s cruelty is revealed when Marta gives him the opportunity to save the dog’s life.  While love would have compelled him to desire Marta’s happiness in her relationship with the dog, Gonzalo’s disorder, which edges towards sociopathy, compels him to not only wait beyond the deadline, but to also call to confirm that the dog has been killed (Pedrero, 1999, 111).  As discussed earlier, one goal narcissists strive for is isolation of the target so the target’s attention is not divided, which includes separation from family, friends, and pets.  Gonzalo’s chilling demeanor as he believes he is allowing the dog to die exposes a personality incapable of personal connection, of love, or of empathy with another and, it is important to note that “cruelty to animals is a telltale predictor of abusers in virtually all studies on domestic violence (Pennington, 2006, 39). 

            In deep contrast, Marta reveals a gentle and loving character when she retrieves the dog from her hiding place in the box.  She has had to “trick, deceive, and lie to maintain possession of it” (Pennington, 2006, 39) but honest, loving means would not have worked with Gonzalo.  Marta, in effect, has had to stoop to Gonzalo’s level to win against him and ensure a new beginning for herself and the dog.  It is also plain that she has been prevented from using her clever mind in the pursuit of loftier goals, but her new beginning suggests that she may yet escape the fate of living out her life as a mere extension of her husband.

            Marta’s awakened mind and spirit also afford her the ability to extend consideration to non-human beings.  Treating the animal as she would a person, Marta explains what has happened and that she had no choice but to test Gonzalo in this manner because, as she states, “[l]e conozco tanto”[22] (Pedrero, 1999, 112).  Indeed, Marta paid attention well to her husband, whether out of love or societal training, which is precisely what allows her to devise an opportunity for him to clearly demonstrate his feelings, or lack thereof.  Because Gonzalo did not reciprocate Marta’s feelings or attention during the time he had with her, he did not achieve the same depth of understanding and therefore underestimates her intelligence, emotional state, and capabilities.  He leaves Marta’s apartment believing he has won a battle when in reality he is oblivious to the rich, loving life he could have had were he not narcissism’s prisoner.  Marta clearly understands that Gonzalo must have the sensation of having gotten something better than Marta or he would never leave her alone.  “[N]arcissists’ self-love [if it could really be called that], is dampened by those who are better-off and bolstered by those who are worse-off” (Bogart, 2004, 43).  Victorious in allowing Gonzalo the sense of having won, Marta emerges confident and independent, ready to forge a different way of life.  Like other female characters created by Pedrero, “by their refusal to remain passive victims of male sexual and emotional manipulations, they restore a sense of hope and dignity where there was only once despair and quiet resignation” (Lamartina-Lens, 1990, 468).

            In Resguardo personal, Pedrero illustrates the marriage difficulties that unequal societal gender role expectations create.  Women are expected to be passive, adoring wives who live only to further the careers and happiness of their husbands.  Men are expected to work to pay for their family’s maintenance, and they are encouraged to become self-centered and narcissistic by being the center of attention of the family.  Marta cleverly uses what she learned through her attentive observation and time spent being a dutiful wife to escape that fate, but pitifully Gonzalo, deep in the clutches of his narcissistic inability to perceive another as autonomous, will never know the joy an equal partnership would provide.

 Works Cited

Atlas, Gordon D. and Melissa A. Them, 2008, Narcissism and Sensitivity to Criticism: A Preliminary Investigation, Current Psychology 27, 62-76.

Bogart, Laura M., and Eric G Benotsch, Jelena D. Pavlovic, 2004, Feeling Superior but Threatened: The Relation of Narcissism to Social Comparison, Basic and Applied Social Psychology 26:1, 35-44.

Hunyady, Orsolya, and Lawrence Josephs and John T. Jost, 2008, Priming the Primal Scene: Betrayal Trauma, Narcissism, and Attitudes toward Sexual Infidelity, Self and Identity 7, 278-94.

Irwin, Harvey J., (1995), Codependence, Narcissism, and Childhood Trauma, Journal of Clinical Psychology 51:5, 658-65.

Lamartina-Lens, Iride, 1990, An Insight to the Theatre of Paloma Pedrero, Romance Languages Annual 2, 465-68.

Lamartina-Lens, Iride, 1999, Female Rage: Diosdado and Pedrero Deal with an Age-Long Problem in a New-Age Fashion, Estreno, 63-68.

O’Connor, Patricia W., 1990, Women Playwrights in Contemporary Spain and the Male-Dominated Canon, Signs 15:2, 376-90.

Pedrero, Paloma, 1999, Resguardo personal.  Juego de noches.  Nueve obras en un acto.  Ed. Virtudes Serrano, Madrid: Cátedra.  103-112.

Pennington, Eric, 2006, ‘Resguardo personal’ and the Canonization of Paloma Pedrero,  Estreno 32.1, 35-40.

Perri, Dennis, 2003, Paloma Pedrero’s Theater: Seeing is More than Believing, Estreno 29:1, 43-55.

Raskin, Robert and Robert Shaw, 1988, Narcissism and the Use of Personal Pronouns, Journal of Personality 56:2, 393-404.

Smolewska, Kathy and Kenneth L. Dion, 2005, Narcissism and Adult Attachment: A Multivariate Approach, Self and Identity 4, 59-68.

Weege, Cornelia, 1999, El discurso femenino en la obra de Paloma Pedrero, Teatro contemporáneo español posfranquista, Ed. Herbert Fritz and Klaus Pörtl, Berlin: Tranvía Verlag Walter Frey.  106-115.