A Psychoanalytic Study of Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms in Arthur Schnitzler’s TheDeath of a Bachelor

This paper explores the manifestations of anxiety and corresponding defense mechanisms in Arthur Schnitzler’s shortstory The Death of a Bachelor (2002), which revolves around the confessions of a dying bachelor to his friends.Schnitzler, the Austrian author and contemporary of Freud, was strongly influenced by the emerging field ofpsychoanalysis, a reflection of which can be seen in his works, where he artfully explores the human psyche. UsingFreudian theory, particularly the id, ego, and superego, this qualitative study closely examines the dialogues, thoughts,and actions of the characters. The findings suggest that the bachelor experiences moral anxiety stemming from hisinfidelity with his friends’ wives and he primarily relies on denial as an ego defense mechanism. His friends—thedoctor, the writer, and the businessman—seem to experience signal anxiety, which leads them to resort to variousdefense mechanisms, including denial, rationalization, fantasy, repression, displacement, and splitting. Although eachcharacter utilizes a unique set of defense mechanisms, denial and rationalization are most prominent. These findingshighlight the pervasive influence of psychological defense mechanisms on the characters’ decision-making, ultimatelyleading the doctor and the writer to choose not to confront their wives.

A Psychoanalytic Study of Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms in Arthur Schnitzler’s TheDeath of a Bachelor Keywords:

Freud , psychoanalysis , Arthur Schnitzler , anxiety , defense mechanism