Myths of Modern Individualism

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The book explores the evolution of individualism through the figures of Faust, Don Quixote, Don Juan, and Robinson Crusoe, highlighting their representations in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. Initially portrayed negatively—punished or mocked—these characters reflect societal repression of individualism. In contrast, the Romantic period reimagines them as heroic. Crusoe symbolizes a shift in attitudes, embodying new religious and social values. The analysis reveals themes of solitude, narcissism, and the tension between self and society, emphasizing the characters' self-centeredness and their relationships with devoted male servants.