All the world's a stage, And (we are) merely players

For some reason I cannot read that Shakespearean line in my own voice -- it always is in Geddy Lee’s voice in my head. I doubt the illustrious Hugh Nibley has that problem. It is his marvelous essay from 1999 called Abraham’s Creation Drama that has spurred this post. I read it today at the provided link and was, as usual with Nibley, thoroughly impressed. I highly recommend it.

One of the primary themes of the essay is that the creation drama we have from Abraham via the prophet Joseph Smith is just that, an example of a dramatic play. Not only is the story a play to be read and acted out by different actors at different times and places, but that in essence our entire existence on earth is part of the very same basic play. The world really is a stage and we really are players. This has all (meaning the general plot of our world) happened before throughout the eons past and will happen again and again throughout the eons to come. In essence, the creation dramas in Abraham and the temple and many ancient documents are in fact small scale dramas of the universe…

I know -- this stuff can make one’s head hurt. However, I think these are some of the big questions and they certainly deserve some serious pondering.

Whether you read the essay or not, what do you think of the idea? Is this world with its plot the same play as ever with us as the actors?