Mark L. Collins

The Ineffable Prince of Denmark Mark L. Collins

In a godless world, who has the compass?

As atheism gains momentum in today's world, Hamlet's answer to that question is particularly relevant. In The Ineffable Prince of Denmark, Collins changes certain particulars of Shakespeare's tale to create an allegory where the crème de la crème courageously conquer elitism.
 
Collins' Hamlet lives in a compassless time as 'out of joint' as ours. Hamlet's father has been murdered and his mother stained with adultery. His uncle has taken the throne from Hamlet by bribing the House of Lords. Worse, his uncle will probably name his son heir. What can the idealistic Hamlet do? Feign madness? Become cynical or suicidal? Not this time!

An atheistic Colossus, not answerable to god, Hamlet should by nature be the snobbiest elitist, out for himself alone, perfectly willing to crush all opponents like insects. No, his compass points to the surprising opposite. Two centuries before the first republican democracy, this titan is a truer egalitarian than he who wrote, 'All [white] men [of property] are created equal.' Hamlet has well vetted plans to make sweeping capitalistic and democratic reforms and to perpetuate peace abroad by unifying the warring Scandinavian countries, but ironically can realize these pacifistic and daring democratic dreams only if he does the nearly impossible by first 'seizing' the 'absolute' power of a monarch.