Overview

Shakespeare's Hamlet contains a profound spiritual message for mankind that has been largely unrecognized for centuries. The meaning of Hamlet so perplexed critics over the last four hundred years that many finally concluded, after immense struggle, that the play lacks a binding philosophy. Nothing, in fact, is more wrong. Quintessence of Dust now explains how Shakespeare meticulously crafted every scene to convey a central spiritual message, using three unique Shakespearean techniques: cohesive unity, thematic resonance, and focused allegorical scenes. It demonstrates that Hamlet is nothing short of an artistic miracle, reflected both in its poetic brilliance and in its profound meaning. This book is written as a running commentary of the entire play so readers can follow the narrative of Hamlet like reading a novel. The increased understanding from the commentary intensifies the drama and reflects how Shakespeare conveys his spiritual message through our emotional involvement. It is akin to learning by direct experience-the initiatic quality that makes Shakespeare's plays an invaluable gift to humanity.

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9789819410415

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William Benzanson (author of Abandoned Shopping Carts: Personal and Spiritual Responsibility) : As I neared the end of the book, experiencing delight with each new insight that it gave, I suddenly and unexpectedly had a revelation, a new awareness, that the book was written specifically for me. ... Now, I hope that I am not so vain as to think that it was Really for only Me, but that every reader could realize that the book had been written for each person who reads it seriously. After all, that's one of the characteristics of Great Books. So, following that criterion, Chan has written a Great Book. Chan's mystical interpretation of the words, scenes, interactions, characters, images, and events in Hamlet struck a chord in me, subtly establishing an attunement among Shakespeare, Chan, and myself to the point that I believe that I underwent a brief initiation in spiritual growth. ... Now, after all these decades of being intrigued and attracted by Hamlet, now I have a glimpse of understanding of what the attraction was. Dianne Foster: His book has provided me with illumination about a topic that has been a lifelong interest and I recommend it to anyone on a step wise path. I. Verbitskaia: This analysis really helped me understand Hamlet in a new way. Mr. Chan offers a very solid explanation for most of the mysteries in Shakespeare. M. North: I found this book very fascinating and enjoyable. It is a welcome addition to all my other commentaries on Hamlet. Whatever our views the approach made here is consistent, illuminating and precise.

Author Information

Kenneth K. C. Chan holds university degrees in both medicine and physics. He is a follower of Tibetan Buddhism and a student of Western Mysticism, with a deep interest in the interactions between the spiritual traditions and the arts and sciences.His scientific paper, ""Time and Space,"" explains for the first time why the speed of light is constant, to which our human consciousness plays a critical role-a conclusion made possible due to Kenneth's background in both physics and human physiology. He clarifies this for a general audience with his article, ""Why Relativity Exists,"" explaining how our perceptual limitations bring about the theory of relativity.Against this backdrop, Kenneth published the first edition of ""Quintessence of Dust: The Mystical Meaning of Hamlet,"" nominated for the Book of the Year award by Foreword Magazine, in 2004. It explains how, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, the mundane world of our senses and the wider spiritual world, just a shade beyond, are intertwined-as evident in Hamlet's delay in taking revenge.In connecting spiritual philosophies across the fields of physics and literature, Kenneth has published further essays, explaining how the Buddhist Madhyamika philosophy solves the mystery of quantum physics, and how the spiritual path irrevocably shows why revenge can never be compatible with our spiritual development.Today, Kenneth continues his studies and writings, passionately seeking to realize the spiritual truths beyond the physical. For, as Hamlet says, ""there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."" Kenneth lives in the metropolitan city of Singapore and is a proud father of two.

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