AN ANALYSIS OF EGO DEFENSE MECHANISMS OF MR. BORKMAN IN HENRIK IBSEN’S JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN

Abstract

Defense mechanisms is the protective action which all people have, they build their own defense depends on their experience of life and their personality. Here, the discussion will show about ego defense mechanism represent in literary work. John Gabriel Borkman is one of Hendrik Ibsen’s plays and it was written in 1896, which presents the condition in nineteenth century. The main character John Gabriel Borkman uses defense to handle his uncomfortable feeling. This discussion is analyzed by using Scott's psychological approach and Freud's theory of personality. There are six ego defense mechanisms that he used those are projection, denial, Isolation, displacement, reaction formation, and rationalization. Ego defense mechanisms called as protective action but those not only give good effects but also bad effects.