To Each His Own

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs dictates the four different levels of progression that are required to achieve self-actualization. There are a number of different literary characters that were studied this semester that fit into Maslow’s hierarchy and strive to achieve self-actualization. The first of all is the character Beowulf who actually achieves self-actualization for a brief time during his adventures. The most important to the human quest for self-actualization is the character Everyman who embodies all human beings on earth and possesses all of their qualities. The third is of course Macbeth, the character that drives himself insane trying to achieve what he views as self-actualization. All of these characters embody some form of the human quest for self-actualization. Some achieve it, some don’t it’s a question of their strengths and weaknesses. This is true of all humans, these characters demonstrate to us our own quest for self-actualization, some find it, others only experience a flash of enlightenment, and others are content with the level of the hierarchy of needs that they stand on. Some people are doomed to wander blindly in search of that final level on the list, never finding it until, like Macbeth

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Once his actions are found out, however, Macbeth drops all of the way down to psychological because he is no longer accepted by the public and he is no longer safe either. Could the only true self-actualization come when your life is over? Is your life the first four tiers and death the final one? If any of these questions are true, we will only find out the answer when we die.

The second character in search of self-actualization is the title character from the play Everyman. God is displeased with Everyman saying: “Drowned in sin, they know me not for their God; in worldly riches is all their mind, (Cassidy, 59). His breastplate saves him from her claws and at the same time he discovers a sword hanging on the wall that he finally uses to kill Grendel’s mother. The weakest character was the one who followed and guided Everyman to self-actualization. This is the point where Everyman achieves self-actualization, his redemption. Every man has the power for the top tier, which is definitely a comforting thought. They go on to battle and Grendel finally falls to Beowulf. Everyman’s quest for self-actualization was satisfied when

he is admitted into heaven. Consequently, if none of the events of the play had taken place, Macbeth still would not have achieved his power and self-actualization. Everyman also reaches his top tier when he is accepted into heaven. This is quickly changed when Grendel is surprised at Beowulf’s strength: “…Knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder; his mind flooded with fear… Grendel’s one thought was to run back to his marsh and hide there. After his journey, Everyman is finally forgiven by God and sent to heaven. One should hope that their fate of self-actualization is not as cut and

dry as Macbeth’s, if one has no hope for self-actualization, what does one have to live for?

Especially today, most people do not achieve self-actualization; they are blinded by greed or another desire that strays them from their path.

Approximate Word count = 1343
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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