The Rabbit Hole

        Maslow’s Hierarchy can be looked at in the shape of a pyramid, with the most primitive and important needs at the bottom on the pyramid, and those, which are more sophisticated and less important at the top. When considering a general overview of hamlet’s personal reality, it is clear that he is missing aspects of Maslow’s pyramid at each level.

1.Physiological: While hamlet appears physically healthy throughout the play it is evident that he is lacking the sexual relationship he was once involved in, as he stops seeing Ophelia.

2.Safety: Throughout the progression of the play Hamlet loses first his safety of family (as his father dies and his mother marries his uncle), then his safety of morality (as he plots to kill the King) and lastly his security of body (as he learns of the King’s plot to kill him).

3. Love/Belonging: By the end of the play Hamlet loses all three of the things in this category. He loses his family, as his father is killed (and his mother later on), he loses his friendship of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern when he discovers they tricked him and early on in the film his loses his sexual relationship with Ophelia.

4. Esteem: Hamlet loses his respect for many characters in the play including his mother, his uncle, Ophelia and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Others also lose respect for him, particularly Polonius and King Claudius.

5. Self-actualization: Hamlet has some difficulty accepting facts at times, but generally believes what he is told. However, he clearly loses his morality as he kills his uncle, the King.

When the progression of Hamlet’s personal reality throughout the play is considered, the Hierarchy would have to be reshaped all together.

            Hamlet’s personal reality would better fit a diagram in the shape of an hourglass, as he loses the needs closer to the middle of the triangle and keeps those near the top and bottom.