In a godless world, where is 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 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.
Hamlet believes 'elitism versus egalitarianism' is the key issue facing modern individuals and nations. Is he right or is it just another red herring? If the most powerful nation humbles itself and always acts as if it were 'one among many' equals, does it help create a better world, as Hamlet believes, or does it lose its leadership as it suffers inhuman indignities, as most others believe? Is it a coincidence that every superpower has lost its hegemony after repeated violation of the Golden Rule by un-Christianly mistreating the 'least of its brethren'? Is it time for superpowers to reverse that? Is it too late? Will the next 'home of the brave' superpower have the pluck to try and the perseverance to succeed at this grand experiment of the bravest and most remarkable of Princes?
