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
The second character in search of self-actualization is the title character from the play Everyman. The character of Everyman is symbolic of the human race and the supporting cast is actually human traits that are personified that he begs to travel with him on his journey for redemption- his self-actualization. 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). At the opening of the story when Everyman is visited by death, he is only on the psychological level of the hierarchy of needs. Everyman does not even have safety in the fact that he is not going to be saved by God and must undergo a journey for redemption. He begs his personified traits to accompany him on his long, grueling journey and the first few reject him. Finally, Good Deeds, and Knowledge agree to accompany the desperate Everyman. When this happens, Everyman moves up to belonging on the scale. Because he now belongs, it can be inferred that the characters of Good Deeds and Knowledge will be the ones to lead Everyman to heaven, all of the other personified traits of Everyman deserted him as stated by Good Deeds: "All earthy things is but vanity: beauty, strength and discretion do man forsake...All fleeith save Good Deeds and that am I" (Cassidy, 77). This states that there is no human embodiment that is more important than Good Deeds. The weakest character was the one who followed and guided Everyman to self-actualization. After his journey, Everyman is finally forgiven by God and sent to heaven. This is the point where Everyman achieves self-actualization, his redemption. Everyman's quest for self-actualization was satisfied when it drives them mad. Each of these characters are on a quest for their own form of self-actualization, Beowulf's s for glory, Everyman's is for self-preservation, and Macbeth's is for power, each have their own quest as do all human beings on their quest for self-actualization. E
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1343
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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