Lion King

Many literary works can be compared due to vast amounts of similarities between theme and characters; Hamlet and the Lion King are two literary works in which character and theme are surprisingly similar throughout each work. The Lion King is thought to be just an animated children’s film, however, it is in fact a modern translation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The main characters in the Lion King are definite parallels to those in Hamlet. Along with the main characters and plot details, the stories were similar in the representation of the secondary characters. Here’s my little secret, I killed Mufasa. ” The can be compared to the Walt Disney movie The Lion King. Hamlet and Simba are betrayed by their uncles whom murder their fathers in order to fulfill their own ambitions. The characters in the Lion King closely parallel Hamlet. Simba, the main character in the Lion King, embodies Hamlet. They are both the son of the King and rightful heir to the throne. The King of the Pridelands, Mufasa, can be compared to Hamlet Senior, who is killed by the uncle figure. Both Scar and Claudius have an unpleasant image of the uncle.

They are presented as cold and evil. Laertes, the henchman and right-hand man of Claudius, becomes, in the movie, the Hyenas. The Hyenas collectively act as hero-worshippers to Scar, loyal subjects, and fellow doers-in-evil. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the comic reliefs in Hamlet, and in the Lion King, this role is fulfilled by Timon and Pumbaa. The main character in The Lion King is Simba. Simba is quite similar to Hamlet in that both are sons of the wrongfully murdered kings. Both princes delay their decisions to seek vengeance for their murdered fathers.

Each prince runs from their responsibilities after the death of their respected fathers, although they both know what they must do deep inside. Simba escapes reality from running away, however Hamlet escapes by feigning madness. However, in both situations, the rightful heirs to the throne escape though one way or another. Film techniques used in the Lion King to depict Simba can relate to ways in which Hamlet is portrayed. At the beginning of the film the camera angle looks up towards him, the lights shine on young Simba; the importance of his birth is immense, although Simba may be oblivious to the fact at the time.

Another parallel is the fact that both Simba and Hamlet at one stage wish to be dead. When Timon and Pumbaa find him, they believe Simba to be dead when they first find him. He is not – but wishes to be. The same could be said about Hamlet when he questions his life – “To be, or not to be”. Like Hamlet, Simba tends to need to be on his own to reflect. Hamlet and Simba are near perfect examples of tragic heroes. Both are tested to the extent of their inner strength and faith in the triumph of good.

In comparison, Scar’s selfish character is similar to that of Claudius. Both Scar and Claudius have an unpleasant image. Scar is dark in colour, skinny, with long black nails and green evil eyes. The eyes represent jealousy, greed, and envy. Both characters are “thinly veiled” and scheme to destroy people they dislike. In the opening scene of the Lion King, Mufasa confronts his brother Scar. “Don’t turn your back on me! ” Mufasa stops Scar with a warning. Scar shoots back – “No, perhaps you shouldn’t turn your back on me! ” This is a veiled threat on the king’s life.

Because the king is never introduced in Hamlet, the audience is left to wonder whether the king had any notice that his brother wanted him dead. However there is a parallel to this scene found in Hamlet. Scar shows how it is in the nature of the truly evil to have their victims know they are going to die. If they are warned of their death and do nothing, they are weak. Scar and Claudius are a strong parallel shown through their character and evil ways. The themes story of the Lion King closely parallels that of Hamlet. They are stories of jealousy, greed, and murder. Tis an unweeded garden”, is a line used in one of Hamlet’s soliloquy’s to describe the state of Denmark when Claudius takes over the throne after killing Old Hamlet. The metaphor can relate to the film, when Scar takes over the throne after murdering Mufasa; the Pridelands become drained of colour, corruption is spreading fast in Africa, as it is in Denmark, with the uncles usurping the throne and the animal kingdom. This theme of corruption and how it spreads begins with Scar plotting to murder the King. The same can be said for Hamlet. “Life’s not fair, is it? Scar’s line at the very beginning of the movie instigates the theme of corruption; Hamlet’s soliloquy explaining Denmark as an “unweeded garden” begins this theme too. Shakespeare’s example of imagery in Hamlet is fulfilled in the film using colour to portray the theme. When Simba returns to the Pride Lands after Scar has been in power, the entire place appears to be dead. There are no animals left, there is no water, and there is nothing but sand and rock. The appearance of Pridelands reflects the heart of Scar. Dead. This is the same as the state of Elsinore reflecting the heart of Claudius.

Claudius’s evil ways destroy the image of Denmark. Claudius is dead inside. In comparison, the theme of the “circle of life” is portrayed in the Lion King through Pride Rock, and the use of colour and imagery. The theme is developed at the very beginning, when Mufasa is ruling, and the whole Pridelands is in perfect harmony. The area of Pride Rock is always under beams of sunlight, suggesting a bright future, and harmony with the world. Each animal has its place in the “Circle of Life”. “You see, Simba. Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance… we are all connected in the great Circle of Life. Mufasa explains to Simba that everything and everyone is connected in some way or another – “When we die, we become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass”. This can be linked with the line “…you must know, your father lost a father/ That father lost, lost his…” Although in context Claudius says this in an unsympathetic and rude way, it can relate to the theme of the circle of life – as it is part of the “circle of life” for people to lose their father and so on and so forth. With all that being said, there is one vital difference between the two works, and that is The Lion King ends in triumph, with Hamlet, to the contrary – tragedy.

The circle of life is completed again when Simba returns to the Pridelands, the future looking promising and bright. As for Hamlet, considered to be the greatest tragedy ever written, the hero of the play dies. It ends in treachery. “O villainy! Ho! Let the door be locked! / Treachery, seek it out! ” Even with a different ending, there still is a resemblance: that is the future of the kingdom. Both Hamlet and Simba ensure the renewal of their domains, and they do so by assuming their lawful roles: rightful king and avenging son. By doing so, they free their kingdoms from evil’s grasp.

The first animated film with sound was the 1928 Disney film Steamboat Willie. Since then, animated movies have been cranked out due to the admiration they receive from children. Disney is known world wide for their animated films. People love them because of their feel good story lines, astounding use of animation, and largely, the music incorporated into the movies. My generation especially has grown up watching what could arguably be considered “Disney classics” such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.

Although most people still consider Disney films to be more than appropriate for children, some take a deeper look into possible underlying plots that reveal material that may no longer be deemed acceptable and “G-Rate”. Robert Gooding Williams, the author of Disney In Africa And The Inner City: On Race And Space In The Lion King, argues that The Lion King depicts urban decline in the United States. “The Lion King marks the elephant graveyard as inner city.

It uses Whoopi Goldberg’s and Cheech Marin’s voices to represent the speech of two of the three prominent hyena characters as Black English and Latino slang respectively,” (Gooding-Williams). He views The Lion King to be degrading to some races with inappropriate themes. Matt Roth, another scholar, argues in his article The Lion King A Short History of Disney-Fascism, that Disney supports monarchism and fascist themes due to the story line of The Lion King. The Lion King echoes all of its fascist themes: hatred of gays, communists, and minorities, and the glorification of violent male initiation and feminine domesticity all set in a bucolic suburban environment under the strong leadership of an all-male state,” (Roth). He argues that Mufasa, the King, rules as a communist or monarchist because all animals in the beginning of the movie bow down to him instead of fleeing from a predator as they would in reality (The Lion King). Annalee Ward, author of the article The Lion King’s Mythic Narrative argues that The Lion King is a biblical narrative that can teach children good moral values.

Ward uses the example of Simba, Mufasa’s son, returning home to save the Pride Land from evil, or Scar, Mufasa’s wicked brother, and compares it to the prophecy in the Bible of Jesus returning to save humanity from evil. Although all of these scholars have valid argument that have clear correlations to the movie, an argument that was not presented was how closely The Lion King’s story line matches that of a famous Shakespeare play. I argue that The Lion King does not necessarily have an underlying plot that can only be perceived as our society, but instead is simply based off of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

The overall theme of both Hamlet and The Lion King is about responsibility and revenge. The death of the princes’ fathers leaves both characters extremely downhearted. Hamlet Jr. and Simba both go through a confusing and mournful stage after losing their fathers. At one point in both plots, both Simba and Hamlet Jr. run from their responsibilities although both characters know what they need to do to avenge their fathers deaths. Another key part of the plot is that the two characters both see their father’s spirit, which is a turning point for them to avenge their fathers. Mufasa and Hamlet Sr. lso have striking characteristic resemblance. Both of the kings were killed by their own brothers. As kings, they both ruled their kingdoms with peace and prosperity and were well liked (McElveen). As deceased kings they approach their sons in spirit, but neither tell their son directly to kill their murder (McElveen). Although Hamlet Jr. actually does kill his uncle Claudius, Scar is killed by the pack of hyenas that at one time served him as their leader and king. Not only do the protagonist allude to each other; the villains in can also be compared to each other.

, brothers of the kings, are both in pursuit to take over the throne. Once they have succeeded in killing off their sibling and taking over the throne, both enjoy the comfortable life of being a king. Claudius holds banquets in his own honor, and marvels at all his materialistic things. Scar allows the hyenas to hunt the Pride Land until every source of food and water has been depleted to almost non-existence while he lounges in his cave eating more than his fair share of food (McElveen). As far as secondary characters goes, The Lion King’s Timon and Pumba allude to Hamlet’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Both pairs of characters act as a relief from the main focus in the story in both works (McElveen). Timon and Pumba introduce a carefree style of living (also famously known as “Hakuna Mata”) to Simba while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are friends that Hamlet Jr. enjoys life outside of the royal house (McElveen). A lot of today’s entertainment can be related back to older literature. A lot of today’s literature can also be related to theories on societies, the bible, etc. When experiencing a new piece of literature, music, or film, it is important to keep an open mind.

All of these things are considered to be a type of art and art is supposed to be open to interpretation. When interpreting The Lion King and other pieces, there are no wrong answers, just difference in opinions.

Works Cited

1. The Lion King. Dir. Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. Perf. Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matthew Broderick. Walt Disney Feature Animation, 1994.
2. Videocassette. McElveen, Trey. Hamlet and The Lion King: Shakespearean Influences on Modern Entertainment. Rep. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. 17 Apr. 1998. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.