A Study on the Transformation of Narcissism through Joseph’s Dreams: A Psychoanalytic Approach Based on the Theories of Freud and Kohut

This study analyzes Joseph’s dreams and life in Genesis 37–50 from a psychoanalytic perspective. His dreams are interpreted not as mere prophecies but as a symbolic self-object that unconsciously supported his narcissistic self. Reinforced by his father’s favoritism, Joseph’s narcissistic self was sustained through the self-object function of his dreams, allowing him to endure severe experiences such as betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment without psychological collapse. His recollection of the dreams in Genesis 42:9 is understood as the reactivation of a repressed self-object triggered by external stimuli. This suggests that the dreams functioned not only as divine revelations but also as an internal structure that upheld his idealized self during psychological development. By applying psychoanalytic theory, this study provides a deeper understanding of Joseph’s inner world and contributes to the interpretation of biblical figures beyond theological, literary, and pastoral approaches.