"Shakespeares Philosophical Theatre: Plays and Poetry for All Seasons" (Publisher Austin Macaulay) Summary of Chapter 1 featured in "The Delphic Podcasts" by Michael R D James Season 15 Episode 2

Aesthetic ideas are used by Shakespeare to "show" the reach of the powers of the imagination, understanding and Reason. We are taken on a hypnotic cosmopolitan journey into the worlds of Emperors, Kings, Queens, Princes, soldiers, lawyers, merchants, university students, sailors tyrants and murderers in familiar and exotic places of the world. Hamlet is merely an indecisive youthful university student/lover who happens to be a Prince in a difficult situation in which his father was murdered. He represents our modern form of consciousness which as Norththrop Frye claims "kills" action with its inaction, its  inhibitive function.http://michaelrdjames.orgDelphic Podcast