I am getting quite sick and tired of books, movies and the general public either alluding to or outright claiming that Marilyn Monroe had split personalities, one being Norma Jeane, her “true” self, and the other being Marilyn. There is the implication that Norma Jeane was somehow innocent and untarnished, childlike and joyful, and that Marilyn held the more womanly facets of her personality- worldly, sultry, sexy. Armchair psychiatrists like to imagine that these two conflicting “personalities” were at war with each other, that she was constantly fighting from within to reconcile them with each other, and that this inner turmoil is what ultimately led to her destruction.
All of this is complete and utter nonsense. There was one woman, one personality, and that was Norma Jeane. First of all, as anyone with the most basic knowledge of psychiatry can attest, split and/or multiple personalities are EXCEEDINGLY rare. They are a result of the severest forms of physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse. While no one could argue that she had a terrible and trying childhood, she is far from meeting the criteria that would cause one’s mind to split as a coping mechanism. Though if we were to entertain the notion for a moment, if she actually did have a split personality, it would be quite evident long before Marilyn showed up- and not one person who knew her in her earlier years has made even passing reference to such an psychiatric disorder. I think Jimmie would certainly have noticed two different personalities! This is not to discount Marilyn’s very real emotional and psychiatric issues- I’m just making clear that a split personality is a VERY specific disorder that she showed none of the symptoms of!
So here’s the explanation: “Marilyn Monroe” was a character – a role played by a talented actress. She created a public persona, brilliantly acting it out. People who knew her have said many times that she could turn Marilyn on and off- she could be walking along, completely unrecognizable. She would then say “Do you want to see me be her?” Her eyes would grow heavy, her lips would part, she’d throw her head back, make her voice get all breathy and turn on that famous walk, and the same nondescript woman as before was now mobbed by people excitedly calling “Oh, my God, it’s Marilyn Monroe!” She was always in complete control of Marilyn, could put her on like a coat when she went out, and shed her just the same when she got home. She is not the only celebrity to do such a thing- Beyonce has said publicly that when she is performing she is playing the character Sasha Fierce, Christina Aguilera is X-Tina when she’s on stage, and we’re all currently inundated with Sacha Baron Cohen being in character at all times in public- have any one of these people had accusations of having split personalities? She was such an amazing actress, was so successful with this character, that it is the character the public knows, the character they remember. People speak of catching glimpses of Norma Jeane, of seeing some Norma Jeane in her eyes……it’s nonsense.
She was ALWAYS Norma Jeane, but was such a good actress that the public is who split her personality in THEIR minds. She never lost Norma Jeane, the public lost her. And they said she couldn’t act……Norma Jeane is in heaven giggling about how she fooled us all.
