Wow. You know...recently I was describing in this forum similar things to yours. I was also with this guy for 4 years. I fell in love with this man because of his great sense of humor, his (initial) kindness, his wit and his fantastic talent in photography... BUT he loved his own opinions...a bit too much. He also loved himself more than anyone else. However, it took me sometime to figure him out.
Here were my observations: he never supported me with my work and my horrible boss, he never comforted me when a family member of mine passed away, he never appreciated my dad's help around the house who always came to help with handyman stuff, he would tell me to "dress better" around the house because I was turning him off with the baggy clothes I was wearing, he would mention to me that I've gained weight and comment on me having 3 chins, in our 4 years together he never told me that he loved me (not once).
We were both in science so he frequently mentioned that based on my character (being dramatic, emotional, passionate and romantic) I should not have chosen this field because "most likely" I won't succeed in it. When we were with friends (without them knowing that we were "together" cause he wanted to keep it a secret) he spoke ALL THE TIME and his opinions had to be the ones to win the conversation.

Here is what I suspect: I was prettier than him and smarter (did better at my job despite having it tougher than him). Actually he really was an unattractive man. He felt uncomfortable standing next to me, I was able to feel this. Sometimes he had also mentioned this as well. But I always comforted him about this. There were other things too about him that made him feel insecure.

Both you and me got involved with insecure little men. In order to keep us near them they belittle us by making us feel inferior. They stand on our weaknesses and point them out to us as if they don't have their own faults. I'm pretty sure that if you take a closer look at him, you will find 20 times more faults that what he finds in you.
A person that loves you, loves everything about you, the good and bad. Life is short so the person you spend most of you time with, the person with whom you share love, should MAKE SURE that you feel good and loved.
I've been thinking of all these things this week myself because of the people that responded to my thread. The things they said woke me up. My brain is starting to look at the math of things.
I was always afraid to leave him. Afraid to be alone in my life. He had crushed my self confidence so much that I had told myself several times "wow, I so look like crap, I so suck at my job, my life is so bad and....thank God at least I have him". Seriously, was that a woman with a brain?

My life before him was great. My life after him (yes I did leave him) is much better as well. I will always carry scars from that experience but I'm working on myself to try and forget. I'm trying to repair myself. Yes, I'm alone (single for 4 years now) and yes it is tough but not as tough as it was with him.
Good luck.