A work in
progress which attempts to prove that the text of Plato's Phaedo is the
intended key to unlocking a hidden philosophic subtext encoded into
Shakespeare's Hamlet.
For over four hundred years
The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince
of Denmark has exceptionally captivated the interest of the world.
Since its conception
on the global stage this play has been the subject of interpretation and
analysis by a multitude of prominent thinkers. Some of
the most notable elucidation of this play were made by Hugo, Hegel, Nietzsche, Freud,
Jung, Elliot, Vygotsky,
Turgenev, Lewis, Asimov, Russell, Ecco, Joyce and Bloom just to name a few. Although their methods and approaches widely differ, the only consistent conclusion is that Hamlet is “a mystery,”
“a riddle,” “a puzzle,” “an enigma”.
Over
a decade ago I noticed some general similarities in the
use of symbolism between
Shakespeare's Hamlet and Plato's Phaedo. Upon further
comparison I realized that the relationship between these two texts was
uncanny.
A close
examination
revealed a remarkably intricate (and thereby
intended) line-to-line relationship between the two texts, which has
surprisingly gone unnoticed during the past four centuries of
unprecedented scrutiny.
I propose that the
dialogue of Phaedo is the intended “key” to unlocking the
mystery of Hamlet.
This
work will present evidence which unequivocally proves that
a line-to-line comparison of the two texts results in the solution to The Hamlet
Enigma; and will reveal a unique insight into Shakespeare’s philosophic
method. Furthermore a specific motive for this unusual methodology will
be proposed, that hidden within this, most celebrated of all tragedies,
is an elaborate
defense for tragic poetry in direct response to Plato's famous challenge.
THE
HAMLET
ENIGMA
