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When Shakespeare wrote all his characters in all his plays including the mysterious one in the Sonnets, he was the Master unto himself with no restrictions placed on any as how and why he made them so; as we see them today....but it was not so with Hamlet.

To begin with there is the question about this tragedy as to why he failed to name Hamlet as the Prince of Wales when he was the proper Englishman of his era in the rural England. Shakespeare was deset with indolences he could not comprehend with.

Hamlet; ‘How weary, stale, flat And un profitable Seem to me all uses of this world’ - ACT.1. Scene.11

The deeper he looked into Hamlet, the more complex he became, a part of which he shifted on to Ophelia for no apparent reason. There had been an old play in the lines of Hamlet that had inspired Shakespeare, which started him in the face.

He was obviously charmed by its story and caught in a web of fustian that arose from within it, Shakespeare found it difficult when he strove to emancipate from the clutches of the earlier play, to display his own eloquence. He tried to build his own character. The more he tried, more he was dragged back.

With his shrewd handling of the play, he got better on the original version. But there is no doubt that we see the same scenario in Julius Caesar when Shakespeare borrowed its story from Plutarch by Sir Fredrick North. The part of Hamlet is greater than the play.

I have little doubt that when Shakespeare created Hamlet he was particular that he dominated the play from the beginning, pampering its character more closely than with others. When he was in a tight situation, he made Hamlet feign madness to overcome the intricacies of answering Ophelia's questions.

Shakespeare left wide open space for his critics and scholars to dissect him for what he did to the image of Hamlet. They had discovered many irrelevancies and put vain fancies into the Bard's mind. They have essayed impassioned characters of Hamlet but fortunately for Hamlet, the play was the thing and not Hamlet.

For Shakespeare, his interest was deeply attached to the dramatic possibilities of the play and not the psychology of Hamlet. Was he mad or not? Was he resolve or not and was he brave or timid? I do not think that any critic or scholar could fairly answer this question.

Shakespeare put eloquent speeches in his mouth and contrived situations that placed him on a pedestal. This has resulted in Hamlet being the best stage play of all times. It has surpassed the pathos of Romeo and Juliet. No Shakespearean character stood out boldly as that of Hamlet.

There is never a dull moment in the play and no wonder it owes its pre-eminence to its infinite variety: the story revolves round a variety that includes a ghost, players, grave diggers, murders, plots of assassination, a poisoned cup that went unabated and a romance that was never to be even before it started, culminating in suicide. All these ingredients spiced up to make Hamlet an ingenuity evoke no surprise:

Hamlet. 'To be or not to be; that is the question,
Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them, to die; to sleep.

'No more: and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and themselves natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd, to die; to sleep'...

So, Hamlet makes up his mind, firstly by getting Ophelia out of the way, feigning madnes that drives her to drown herself in a shallow pond. He has to settle his fury against the king and Shakespeare evolves a climat for this. He introduces a ghost and Hamlet confides to Horatio 'Methinks I see my father' and Horatio enquires, Where, my Lord?' to which Hamlet replies, 'In my mind'.

The stage is set for revenge and a fury-escalated Hamlet, proceeds with vigour and the play is set to confront his mother, the queen and her king.

Hamlet - Speak the speech, I pray you, as I have pronounced, it to you, tripping on the tongue; but if you mouth it, as many of your players do. I had to lie; the town crier speaks my lines.

Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently: for in the very torrent tempest and as I may say; the whirlwind of passion, and you most acquire and beget a temperamence that may give in smoothness.

O, it offends me to the sound to hear a robestious periwing-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rage, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipped for doing. Termagent: it out-herods, Herod; pray you avoid it.'

Accidentally, Polonius comes in the way and Hamlet puts him away. He is a Chamberlain who advices his son, Laortes to be wary of Hamlet who has made love Hamlet and warns of the impending danger to his father and sister. In turn, Laertaes admonish his dear sister 'Fear it, Ophelia, fear it my dear sister and we find Polonius adding salt to it.

'Ay spring to catch woodcocks, I do know,
When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul,
Lends the toung's vows, these blazes, daughter
Giving more light than heat.
You must not take for fire'... ACT.11

When we study the psychology of Hamlet's passion for revenge, we also find his creator William Shakespeare as an artist in crime.

To those who marvel at the uniformity of malevolence, many dialogue comes as relief.

If Shakespeare finds himself in a situation he cannot comprehend, he will divert the attention of the reader to spectacular dialogue. But why did Hamlet give no clue to his insolence.

Why did he make Ophelia the scape goat to his flights of imagination. When, finally he dies, Horatio lives to bemoan him; 'Now cracks a noble heart, Good night sweet Prince,

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest,
Why does the drum come hither'
ACT.V.Scene 11

Sunday March 6 will see a kaleidoscope of local musicians coming together to create new sounds and a different musical experience.

Unity In Diversity will bring together musicians of the calibre of Ravi Bandu Vidyapathi, Maestro Sarangan Sri Ranganathan, Upula Madhushankar, Jananath Warakagoda, Derek Wikramanayake, Ratnam Ratnathurai, Billy Fernando, Srikanth Selvaraj among many others on the same platform at the Bishops College auditorium.

Some of the Sri Lankan musicians who will be performing at Unity In Diversity - an enchanting evening of fusion music at the Bishop’s College Auditorium on Sunday 6th March. From right: Derek Wikramanayake, Jananath Warakagoda, Ravi Bandu Vidyapathi, Sarangan Sri Ranganathan and Ratnam Ratnathurai.

As the name of the concert infers different schools of music, West and East, North and South will come together with the common objective of exploring and exploding the boundaries of music.

Well over 20 musical and percussion instruments will be used to bring out the texture and spectrum of sounds.

Music lovers can anticipate an exciting evening, as they witness not just the musical talents of this line up but improvisation and spontaneity, which can never be replicated. The sounds will be as diverse as the musicians and will no doubt result in an excellent evening's entertainment.

The proceeds from the evening will go towards the Crippled Children's Aid Association of Sri Lanka, building and medical fund for the Sevana Lama Nivasa, Kotte. This home houses over 30 disabled children.

A school for the physically disabled is also operated adjacent to this home by the association. The school is recognized and approved by the Education department and caters to non-resident children with physical disabilities.

A key aspect of this home is that it also provides medical assistance ensuring the children receive corrective surgery and physiotherapy to enable increased mobility. The objective being, where possible to eventually integrate these children into mainstream society.

Tickets are available at Lalitha Jewellers, R.A. De Mel Mawatha (near 5th Lane) Colombo 3.