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Hamlet / Lion King: Imitation or Inspired Creation?

Is The Lion King based on Hamlet ? To some extent, yes, though there are a number of differences too.

A word of caution, however. One cannot uproot a work of art from one place and plant it somewhere else. The creators of The Lion King might have taken the simple outline of the Hamlet plot as their inspiration to give their movie its embodiment. That said, let’s dive into an analysis of the plots to get a complete overview of the similarities – and also the key differences – between The Lion King and Hamlet .

10 Similarities Between The Lion King and Hamlet

1. a struggle for power.

In The Lion King , Simba’s father Mufasa struggles to hold his position strongly. He is intellectually disciplined and morally true. That’s why he has several enemies. The sad fact is, one of his enemies is his brother Scar.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet , Hamlet’s father also goes through the same political scenario in his country and gets killed by his brother.

2. Treacherous Brothers

In The Lion King , Mufasa’s brother Scar kills him by using treacherous means. In the story, he uses Mufasa’s son, Simba as a pawn to checkmate his honest brother. He succeeds.

In Hamlet , Claudius kills Hamlet’s father by using the same heinous means. In both of the cases, the action of the brothers heightens the dramatic tension and poses challenges to the rightful owner of the throne, the Prince.

3. Princely Issues

Simba and Hamlet – princes on a learning curve

A prince has to face the princely issues. In simple words, he has to learn the art of politics. Sooner is always better. In The Lion King, Simba has to leave his place. Why? He cannot deal with the heat of politics. When does he get his throne back? When he utilizes his senses and learns the art of politics.

In Hamlet too, the prince at first is innocent of all the incidents happening around him. When he starts to stand firmly on his ground, one by one his enemies perish.

4. The Jungle

The Jungle in The Lion King is a metaphor. It depicts the lawlessness and immorality of the place. When Scar overthrows his brother, the place turns into a real jungle. There are no rules, only lawlessness. Before that, it was a place where harmony reigned.

In Hamlet , the condition of the country can be considered to be a jungle. After the killing of Hamlet’s father, everything starts to deteriorate. Even the actions of Hamlet accelerate the effect. If the makers of The Lion King tried to depict this metaphorical jungle, they did a great job!

5. The Love Angle

Like Ophelia in Hamlet , Nala plays a pivotal role in The Lion King . Nala acts like a bridge between Simba’s escape and activity. She brings her back again to his place and inspires him to firmly voice his birthright.

The story reaches its climax for the presence of the love angle. It acts as a catalyst to gear up the process of dramatic action. There is another reference to passion. In The Lion King , the passion in the heart of Simba is utilized by the main lady character, just as Ophelies does in Hamlet .

6. Hakuna Matata

In The Lion King , Timon and Pumba sing this song with Simba it means “live carefree”. It makes Simba think like Hamlet stopped to think about his future action. In Simba’s heart, there is a burning desire to do justice to himself as well as to the jungle. There is also a sense of fear and restlessness in his heart. The song, “Hakuna Matata” heightens this tension in Simba’s heart.

Hamlet faced a similar kind of dilemma before taking some major steps in his journey. Then the moment came when he uttered this famous “ To be or not to be ” soliloquy. Read more about Hakuna Matata meaning .

7. Use of the Supernatural

In both The Lion King and Hamlet , the use of the supernatural can be found. Simba in The Lion King confronts his father’s ghost who tries to guide him. In Hamlet , the father’s ghost appears to put light on the hidden chambers of Hamlet’s mind. These dramatic creations use supernatural agents for two purposes: heightening the dramatic tension and speeding up the play’s progress.

8. The Dilemma

In The Lion King , Simba faces a moral dilemma. When he grows up in Timon and Pumba’s carefree jungle, the dilemma comes to haunt him. He is not sure what he should do. It threatens him at the same makes his morale weak.

In Hamlet , the titular character also faces a moral dilemma. In both cases, the fight is more internal. Simba and Hamlet both won the battle with their mind first, thereafter they defeated their enemies in reality. This internal struggle is one of the major similarities between these two works.

9. The Graveyard and the Skull

Hamlet’s graveyard scene gets imitated in The Lion King’s plot. In The Lion King , the graveyard of the elephants poses a threat to the main character of the movie. The vivid description of the graveyard reminds us of Hamlet’s plot.

The importance of the grave scene is important as it appears in two major twists of the movie. In Hamlet too, the gravediggers appear when Hamlet is about to take an important decision in the play.

10. Mortality

The Lion King encompasses the theme of mortality to make it understandable to children. The theme may be depicted in a far more restricted manner, but it’s there.

In Hamlet , mortality, and life pose several philosophical questions to the readers as well as to Hamlet. He gets torn in between action and inaction for the presence of the theme of mortality. In this way, both of the plots are parallel.

3 Differences between The Lion King and Hamlet

1. a pure children’s story.

The Lion King is a children’s story (though enjoyed by many adults!). If the creators had adopted the plot in totality, the movie would not appeal to young audiences. That’s why it is safe to say that The Lion King is loosely based on the plot of Hamlet .

Hamlet does not belong to children’s literature. Several issues need a critical mind to analyze and understand. A child cannot decode the complex world of Hamlet.

2. Father-Son Relationship

Simba’s relationship with his father is a lovely one to watch. Mufasa acts like a moral teacher who has no lust for power or position. They stay together in the plot. When Mufasa dies, Simba is also there.

In Hamlet , Shakespeare doesn’t project the father-son relationship in a similar way. In the story of Hamlet, his father was killed when he was not with him. There is an implied distance between their relationship.

3. Morality and Politics

In The Lion King , morality plays a major role in respect to the politics of the jungle. Simba also uses a trap to kill Scar but it is looked at as “poetic justice”. As it is a children’s story, the major component of the movie provides moral lessons.

While Hamlet is also a morally guiding tragedy, the depiction of politics in the play is both severe and shocking. If you are new in Shakespeare’s world, a quick fact for you. Hamlet belongs to the genre called Revenge Tragedy or the tragedy of blood, popularized by Seneca .

It’s a jungle out there…

After this thorough analysis, it becomes clear that both Hamlet and The Lion King are inspired creations. The Lion King is not an imitation of art, rather its creators took the story, grasped its elements, and rethought it in their own way.

So which one is better, ‘Hakuna Matata’ or ‘to be or not to be’? According to us, both are winners!

Frequently asked questions about The Lion King and Hamlet

Is the lion king based on hamlet.

Yes, The Lion King is loosely based on the plot of Hamlet. But, it doesn’t imitate the overall structure, themes, and tone of Hamlet.

How are Hamlet and The Lion King different?

The Lion King is a children’s movie whereas Hamlet is a “Revenge Tragedy”. It is also called the “tragedy of blood”. The Lion King doesn’t contain such sensational plots as Hamlet.

What is the story of Lion King?

The Lion King presents the struggle of Simba, son of previous king Mufasa, to get his authority back in the jungle. His uncle treacherously killed his father and obtained the throne. Simba wants to displace him and be a ruler like his father.

What movies are based on Hamlet?

Several movies are based on Hamlet , like The Lion King (2019), Haider (2014),  The Bad Sleep Well (1960), Strange Brew  (1983)

What do you think of our take on The Lion King and Hamlet   – anything to add? Join in, and let us know in the comments section below!

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Screen Rant

The lion king: 5 ways it's exactly like hamlet (& 5 how it's different).

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10 Movies You Never Knew Were Secretly Shakespeare Adaptations

Every disney renaissance film and how it compares to the story it was based on, every lion king movie ranked worst to best.

• The Lion King draws from Shakespeare's Hamlet, with themes of betrayal and revenge woven into a children's film.
• Both stories feature a prince seeking justice for their father's murder, but The Lion King has a happier ending.
• Female characters in The Lion King, like Nala and Sarabi, exhibit agency and strength, unlike Shakespeare's female archetypes.

Disney is not a stranger to mature themes, and The Lion King was no different, taking inspiration from a classic Shakespearean tale. Animated Disney movies are known for teaching children lessons in morality, and The Lion King does that, just with darker themes. Murder, betrayal, and revenge are all featured in the 1994 film as Simba's father is killed by his uncle and finds himself banished from his home. If the story of a young prince who was banished and returns to avenge his father sounds familiar, it is.

Hamlet was by far one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies and The Lion King seemed to take some inspiration from it. The story withstood the test of time for a reason. Both tales were classics in their own way. The Lion King drew inspiration while becoming its own story. It's best remembered for the tale of Simba triumphing over Scar and some amazing music, but it still has quite a bit in common with Shakespeare's tragic tale.

Shakespeare’s works have had a massive influence on the stories we tell today, and in fact, many movies are direct adaptations of the Bard’s stories.

How The Lion King Is Like Hamlet

The prince has a traitorous uncle.

King Claudius has been portrayed from stage to film by many different actors, but the results are always the same. Claudius is the instigator of the plot to take over the throne of Denmark. He orchestrates his brother’s death to gain the throne for himself. All the prince's uncle wants in Hamlet and The Lion King is power .

Though his methods differed from The Lion King to Hamlet , the seated king eventually met his untimely end. Whether it was Scar creating a stampede or Claudius pouring poison in his brother’s ear, the king dies. And Claudius became one step closer to the throne. The only one in his way in either story when the king dies is the prince.

The Prince Sees His Father's Ghost

In many Hamlet productions, the appearance of the prince’s father is taken more literally than others. In Hamlet , the 2000 film starring Ethan Hawke, Hamlet's father speaks to him through videos. In some productions, Hamlet’s father appears as an actual ghost, which is what The Lion King does as well.

Simba encounters Mufasa’s spirit more literally, and it has a heavy, meaningful presence. In both iterations, the deceased king must remind his son not to forget the crime that has been committed. Mufasa is there to remind Simba that he is the prince and that Scar is in the wrong.

The 2000 version of Hamlet is available to stream on Paramount+.

The Prince Is Exiled

Whether it be Pride Rock or Denmark, the prince has a rocky relationship with his home . After Mufasa is killed in one of the most memorable death scenes in an animated film , Scar convinces Simba that it was his fault and that he should be banished. Scar hopes that Simba would, at the very least, never come back to threaten his rule.

King Claudius is more forthright about it, instructing Hamlet’s school friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to kill his nephew. In both these stories, the new king is intent on his nephew never returning. Claudius and Scar don't really see anyone else as a threat to their power since the prince, in both stories, is the rightful heir to the throne.

The Prince Has Friends In Exile

Comedic relief is something required in tragedies, especially plays as tragic as Hamlet . Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are college friends of Hamlet who take some edge off of the heavier topics in the play. They've been used very effectively in both stage and screen adaptations, and The Lion King has its own version of the duo, though they aren't college friends to a young lion cub.

Like Hamlet, Simba finds himself in exile, though he is not alone. Timon and Pumbaa become his cohorts in banishment, and ultimately they all find themselves back at Pride Rock for the final confrontation. Timon and Pumbaa become his allies, not just fun comic relief for the audience.

The Disney Renaissance formulated many childhoods, but each is based on a different classic story. How does each film stack up to the source material?

There Is A Love Story

Love is the connecting factor between The Lion King and Hamlet . Nothing makes a story more tragic than losing love and nothing makes a children’s movie better than these resonant themes. Both Hamlet and The Lion King have their own sonnets, so to speak.

Hamlet and Ophelia are consumed with angst throughout the play. However, Hamlet sends her a letter professing his feelings with the famous line “ doubt though the stars are fire .” This is recreated in The Lion King through its best-known song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”

The Lion King is available to stream on Disney+.

How The Lion King Is Different From Hamlet

The prince is sane in the lion king.

William Shakespeare penned a five-act play demonstrating a young prince teetering on the edge of sanity. In Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 film, Hamlet spans to a cool four hours. The Lion King, not quite as ambitious, comes to about an hour and a half in the animated version. The prince’s portrayal was toned down for the children’s film and did not explore Simba's mental status.

In one of the most famous scenes of the Bard's play, Hamlet goes to a graveyard and speaks to Yorrick, a skull. It is debatable whether Hamlet is truly going mad or not and spends a good amount of time debating the topic. Simba may have gone to an elephant graveyard, but he did not spend his time speaking to the bones .

The 1996 version of Hamlet is available to stream on Tubi.

Nala Is Stronger Than Ophelia

There is not a clear translation for Ophelia in The Lion King , but Nala comes the closest . She is the prince’s intended, but that is where the resemblance stops. Ophelia is crushed by the weight of her experiences. She endures Hamlet’s mood swings and has to choose between her love and her family.

Nala is strengthened by her difficulties. She persevered and pushed Simba into returning to the kingdom to take his rightful place after being banished by Scar herself. In Hamlet , the kingdom collapses under its own tragedy. And most importantly, Nala is not a tragic figure . She overcomes her circumstances while Ophelia is destroyed by them.

The Queen Is A Good Mother In The Lion King

There are many readings of Queen Gertrude. Many interpretations suggest that she never knew Claudius killed her first husband. However, Gertrude is not blameless in her treatment of her son . Hamlet is exiled and Gertrude sides with her husband Claudius, whether she is aware he is a murderer or not.

Simba’s mother Sarabi is free from this morally gray area. She survives the story, never siding with Scar, and supports her son’s claim to the throne. She isn't banished from the Pride Lands like Nala is, and she doesn't go looking for Simba, believing him lost initially. It is made clear, however, that there is no allegiance to Scar, and she is immediately ready for Simba to take over despite the time that has passed since she's seen her son.

An in-depth analysis and review of the live-action and animated movies in Disney's The Lion King franchise, ranked from the worst to the best.

Female Agency Is Portrayed Differently

Hamlet is full of some of the most notable female archetypes known to drama. Queen Gertrude is the precursor to characters like Cersei Lannister and Gemma Teller. Ophelia is one of the most tragic love interests known in literature. But these women are archetypes for a reason. They provide a blueprint for a character type without having much agency of their own .

Nala and Sarabi both love their king but are not swayed in one direction or another. They are steadfast, making up their own minds and making their own decisions. The Lion King also has another steadfast female character. Shenzi is the leader of the hyena faction that follows Scar. She is the other side of the coin. Shenzi supports Scar, not for any obligation or love, but because it is what she believes.

The Lion King Is Not A Tragedy

Throughout Simba watching his father’s death, being ousted by his uncle, and losing his entire childhood, The Lion King has the makings of a great story. It creates its own classic after drawing inspiration from one of the most famous tragedies ever penned.

One of the most important of its messages is that all is not lost. Simba seemingly lost his entire life at a young age, but he comes out of it. He takes his home back and, most unlike Hamlet of all, loses no additional life in the process. The Lion King is a story of triumph, not tragedy , a stark contrast to Hamlet .

Disney's The Lion King (1994)

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Entertainism

Similarities and Differences Between The Lion King and Hamlet

We are sure most of you will be quick like bunnies to point out the 'duh-uh' difference between The Lion King and Hamlet. The former involves lions, whereas the latter involves humans. But, dear ones, there are quite a few similitudes in these two stories that struck us, and we thought we ought to reveal them to you. Learn the similarities and differences between The Lion King and Hamlet in this Entertainism article.

We are sure most of you will be quick like bunnies to point out the ‘duh-uh’ difference between The Lion King and Hamlet. The former involves lions, whereas the latter involves humans. But, dear ones, there are quite a few similitudes in these two stories that struck us, and we thought we ought to reveal them to you. Learn the similarities and differences between The Lion King and Hamlet in this Entertainism article.

“The saga of Simba, which in its deeply buried origins owes something to Greek tragedy and certainly to Hamlet, is a learning experience as well as an entertainment.” ― Roger Ebert, Film Critic

The Lion King is certainly one of the most loved Disney movies; however, it is does not exactly paint with the ‘fairy tale’ leitmotif that all Disney movies are world-famous for. The Lion King, in fact, draws inspiration (ample of it) from William Shakespeare’s creation, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, popularly known as Hamlet.

Some of you would find it incredibly bizarre to accept the similarities between the two, but trust us when we say that there is always a usurpatory, low-life malefactor with a faulty moral compass, driven only by the urge to rule. This urge in discussion is the same for humans and animals, and both Shakespeare and Walt Disney were smart people who built stories around this primal urge of ruling, and translated the same in different media. However, there are palpable dissimilarities between the two storylines; the one with humans is a bit more convoluted, and the one with animals is a more simplified one as we feel animals like keeping things uncomplicated. Yeah, and it’s a little easy on our brains too.

We are now going to mount a full-scale examination on both the stories, so here’s coming The Lion King Vs. Hamlet analysis in terms of their themes and characters.

SIMILARITIES

Both Simba and Hamlet Jr. hail from royal families. Simba is the son of Mufasa, the King of the Pride Lands, and Hamlet Jr. is the son of the late King of Denmark. The regal blood that courses in the veins of both Simba and Prince Hamlet makes them the rightful heir to the throne.

Simba’s uncle Scar, does not exhibit the kind-hearted avuncular feelings toward Simba, and all that candied talk with Simba is just a ruse and to mask his ulterior motives. Likewise, Claudius makes an evil uncle who is vehemently devoted to his interests and plays it unobtrusively by keeping a family-friendly face only to strike those who pose a threat to his power and life. Both Scar and Claudius killed their brothers in enviousness, and thought they would make better Kings instead of their brothers. Ah and yes, both of them believe in dropping subtle hints at people who are on their hit list―quite fair we say.

Both Simba and Prince Hamlet have love interests; while Simba and Nala were kid cub chums, Prince Hamlet and Ophelia’s case was somewhat like star crossed lovers. Many also controvert that Hamlet Jr. was using Ophelia as a pawn, but whatever that be, there were suppressed feelings between the two and anything that is tantalizingly undisclosed is by default love. We are good at this.

Yes, Simba’s ‘off-their-trolley’ friends Timon and Pumbaa are true friends indeed, who with their comically raw nature pull Simba from the melancholic and depressing state. Prince Hamlet too, has a friend in Horatio who keeps Hamlet’s charade of madness under his hat as well as promises not to reveal anything about the ghost to anyone. There’s always a bright side to an otherwise murky premise.

Every villain must have unscrupulous and reckless subordinates who will sycophantly serve to their antagonist masters, and this part is satisfied by Barochio and Conrad, Claudius’ henchmen in Hamlet, while in The Lion King, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed offered similar services to Scar.

Mufasa makes an apparition appearance in the clouds and tells him to take his place as a King. King Hamlet too meets Prince Hamlet as a wraith and instructs him to exact revenge of his death.

After the stampede, Scar convinces Simba that he is responsible for his father’s death and advises him to run away. Similarly, Claudius sends Prince Hamlet to London so that his evil plan of murdering him comes to fruition. However, both uncles fail as both the heirs return home with the knowledge of their uncles’ evil deeds.

Simba easily believes Scar and pins himself for his father’s death. He slips into depression and even tries to kill himself (poor thing). Prince Hamlet is greatly aggrieved and goes mad with his father’s demise. Nonetheless, both the characters ultimately realize their uncles’ machinations and turn their woeful depression into active retaliation.

DISSIMILARITIES

In this, we would also like to mention feminine traits of these two women in discussion. Nala is a lioness and behaves like one by defying others to save her love interest. However, Ophelia is a compliant woman who abides her elders and even gives up on her love because her father instructed her to do so. Not an exemplary lover, we say.

Despite both the mothers―Sarabi (Simba’s mother) and Gertrude (Prince Hamlet’s mother)―being non-primary characters, their portrayal in Hamlet and The Lion King is pretty different. While Gertrude remains the feeble Queen acting meekly as Claudius bids her to, Sarabi is a lioness, both literally and figuratively, and doesn’t flinch from questioning her evil brother-in-law, who almost kills her for the same.

Another important dissimilarity is that Gertrude marries Claudius for which she invites her own son’s vitriolic criticism, while Sarabi chooses to remain faithful to her deceased husband (she took her wedding vows too seriously!).

The only two people to die in the Lion King are Mufasa and Scar, but Shakespeare’s Hamlet nearly kills all the protagonists we know of―Hamlet Jr, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Polonius , and Laertes; in short, it’s not a hakuna matata ending for Hamlet after all.

While Simba receives moral guidance from Zazu and Rafiki that help him make sound and right decisions for himself, Hamlet Jr. is only motivated by revenge. We believe someone should have given him a good dose of morality and taught him that vengeance shouldn’t be the only driving force in life (this would have gained him the throne and the woman as well).

The Lion King can be reckoned as the modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic literary work, but there’s no denying that it offers a more fulfilling ending, whereas Hamlet is purely a filial tragedy.

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“The Lion King” Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Essay

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Hamlet is a play written by Shakespeare and centered on Prince Hamlet and his vengeance against his uncle, Claudius, who has killed his father to get on the throne. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s immortal creation that has endlessly been retold and adapted by others (Thompson & Taylor, 2006). The Lion King by Disney is one of its many adaptations. The film parallels Hamlet as the main characters in the play and the film are both princes, and the antagonists are uncles who murder their brothers to gain power. Simultaneously, the movie diverts from the play in terms of setting, central theme, language, and plot. Nevertheless, the Lion King is still a great adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

On the one hand, there are several similarities between The Lion King and Hamlet. Viewers see Simba and Hamlet as the main characters whose fathers were murdered by their uncles. The plots are similar since both heroes are outcasted from their kingdoms. Moreover, Simba and Hamlet have only one love interest, Nala and Ophelia, respectively. Both female characters help the protagonists to achieve their goals. Both princes experience internal struggle as Simba doubts whether he should return to the pride, and Hamlet asks “to be or not to be” when he thinks about killing his uncle (Shakespeare, 1992, 3.1.1). Another similarity is that ghosts of murdered kings appear at midnight and talk to their sons, which is a turning point in the plots of the movie and the play as both princes decide to return to their kingdoms and find the truth. Finally, both punish and kill their uncles for their murders at the end.

On the other hand, it is essential to note the differences between the movie and the play. First of all, the characters in The Lion King come from the animal world. The film shows the interactions among lions and hyenas, a meerkat, a monkey, a warthog, and others endowed with human characters and emotions. In contrast, Hamlet shows the noble society of the sixteenth century in Denmark, while the movie’s events take place in Africa’s Pride Lands at an unknown time. Second, death is the play’s central theme as the events start with the appearance of King Hamlet’s ghost and end in the death of the main characters. Meanwhile, The Lion King encourages the viewers to learn from past mistakes and participate in “the circle of life” (Hahn, 1994, 10:09). Moreover, the plots of the film and the play differ to a certain extent. For example, Hamlet’s king appears only in the ghost’s form, unlike Simba’s father, who is alive for a significant part of the movie. The spirit in the Lion King does not demand revenge from his son but instead sends a positive message to remember who he is. Also, the authors of The Lion King use contemporary language that is easily understandable even for children, while Shakespeare writes in Early Modern English and uses words that are now obsolete; for example, “swounds,” “esil,” and “prate” (Shakespeare, 1992, 5.1.267).

Overall, Shakespeare’s plays are adapted often because his stories are timeless. He composed plays and sonnets about love and power, greed and betrayal. All of these topics are relatable to any generation. His language is sometimes incomprehensible even to the native English speakers, which arouses even more interest in his works. However, given that some of the plotlines in his works can be unpalatable and hard to understand for the readers, they are often modified. The creators of the Lion King were able to convey an accessible and lighter version of Hamlet for children. They did this by switching the setting to colorful African Pride Lands, using contemporary language, and adding some fun characters, such as Timon and Pumba, which makes this movie a great adaptation of the play for a younger audience.

Hahn, D. (Director). (1994). The Lion King. (Film). Walt Disney Pictures.

Shakespeare, W. (1992). Hamlet, prince of Denmark. C. Watts & K. Carabine (Eds.). Wordsworth Editions. (Original work published 1599).

Thompson, A., & Taylor, N. (Eds.). (2006). Hamlet: The Arden Shakespeare. Cengage Learning.

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IvyPanda. (2022, June 19). "The Lion King" Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet". https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lion-king-movie-as-adaptation-of-shakespeares-hamlet/

"The Lion King" Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." IvyPanda , 19 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-lion-king-movie-as-adaptation-of-shakespeares-hamlet/.

IvyPanda . (2022) '"The Lion King" Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet"'. 19 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "The Lion King" Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." June 19, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lion-king-movie-as-adaptation-of-shakespeares-hamlet/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Lion King" Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." June 19, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lion-king-movie-as-adaptation-of-shakespeares-hamlet/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Lion King" Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." June 19, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lion-king-movie-as-adaptation-of-shakespeares-hamlet/.

Betrayal in Hamlet and the Lion King: a Comparative Analysis

How it works

Comparing Power and Betrayal in Hamlet and The Lion King

Hamlet vs. The Lion King Hamlet is a world-renowned piece of literature written by the great William Shakespeare. It reveals the struggles of a family that is corrupt and overrun by power so bad that it kills. The play Hamlet proves that power is the root of all evil, especially when it goes to the extent of killing your own blood. The Lion King is very similar to Hamlet in numerous ways.

Simba, the son of Mufasa, is heir to Pride Rock and the Kingdom when Mufasa is murdered by Simba’s uncle Scar. Scar takes over as leader of Pride Rock and the Kingdom after murdering Mufasa, leaving Simba on the back burner just as Claudius did to Hamlet. It would be obnoxious to disagree that Hamlet and The Lion King are not alike.

Shared Motifs and Themes: Greed, Revenge, and Family Dispute

Both Hamlet and The Lion King display the same motifs, such as greed, betrayal, power, Revenge, and family dispute, while the two works are also different in some ways.The characters in both Hamlet and The Lion King have some of the same characteristics and lifestyles. Hamlet and Simba are both heirs to a royal spot when their Father passes away. The fathers of both Hamlet and Simba are murdered by their uncle while their uncle takes over as the king. King Hamlet and King Simba were very close to their sons and asked to avenge their deaths as ghosts. Both Hamlet and The Lion King have a set of lovebirds. Hamlet had his lovebird Ophelia, and Simba had his crush Nala, who would never admit they liked each other, even though everyone knew they did. Both Hamlet and Simba had their good friends after the death of their fathers. Hamlet had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to go to for help when needed. Both of them helped watch out for Claudius upon Hamlet’s request.

Although his close friends turned on him and took Polonius’s side later on. Simba ends up being close friends with Pumbaa and Timon, and they share humor, just as Hamlet does in the play. Both Hamlet and The Lion King display some of the same themes, although some are different. In Hamlet, the motif of death is quite obvious. Hamlet becomes consumed with the thought of death. First, he considers ending his life due to the grief after his Father’s death. Then, he believes that if he carries through with his plans, he will go to hell. This leads to his famous “to be or not to be” speech. Hamlet is constantly thinking about ways to kill his uncle. He then takes a journey to meet his goal, which is to avenge the death of his Father and his uncle. However, this leads to the death of himself later on. In The Lion King, Simba thinks about avenging his Father’s death, at which he succeeds, but never thinks about killing himself, although he wishes he were dead at times. At the beginning of the movie, the camera looks up towards Simba. The importance of Simba’s birth is immense, although Simba may be oblivious to the fact at the time. Another thing that they take after each other is both Simba and Hamlet wish to be dead at one point. When Timon and Pumbaa find Simba, they believe Simba is dead, but he is not, although he wishes to be. The same could be said about Hamlet when he questions his life: “To be, or not to be.”

Tragic Heroes: Hamlet and Simba

Like Hamlet, Simba reflects on himself when he is alone. Hamlet and Simba are perfect examples of tragic heroes. Both are tested to the extent of their inner strength and faith in the pride of good. Betrayal is a huge motif displayed in both Hamlet and The Lion King. Claudius is a snake due to the fact that he has betrayed his nephew, Hamlet, by not only killing his Father but marrying his mother. Just as Simba was betrayed by his uncle Scar for killing his Father and taking Simba’s spot as the alpha lion. Polonius betrayed Laertes by sending people to spy on him. He told Laertes, “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man” (Shakespeare 1.3.84-86). But Polonius himself spies on Laertes, going back on his own words. While Claudius poisons the drink that Hamlet is supposed to drink, he fails to let Gertrude know. When she picked the glass up to have a drink, he just stared and was at a loss for words as she drank to her death. Claudius even betrayed his own wife and basically murdered her just as he murdered his Brother. Furthermore, Betrayal is something that heals over time. In the case of both Hamlet and The Lion King, it seems to never heal as tensions rise between both nephew and uncle as time goes on.

But who can blame Hamlet and Simba as they have had their Father murdered by a close family member? Some say money is the root of all evil. One could argue that betrayal is the root of all evil because “Betrayal is evil when done upon a fellow blood member.” (Kramer). It is sickening to even think about an uncle killing your Father just so he can be king, just as Claudius did. Maybe it is possible to argue power is the root of all evil since that’s why Claudius killed King Hamlet. Hamlet and The Lion King accurately show us the ultimate betrayal that can be done to someone. Next, Revenge plays a huge role in both Hamlet and The Lion King. After Hamlet’s Father is murdered by Claudius, his Father appears as a ghost and asks him to get Revenge on Claudius. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. – Murder most foul, as in the best it is, But this most foul, strange, and unnatural.” (Shakespeare 1.5.31-34). Hamlet is not the only person seeking Revenge. Young Fortinbras wants Revenge on Denmark and the land that was taken from his Father after he lost the battle. In The Lion King, Mufasa appears as a ghost to Simba, just as King Hamlet did to Hamlet to encourage him that he can defeat Scar and have the Kingdom that he just does not know what he is capable of doing.

“Look inside yourself; you are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of life……..You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are.” (Minkoff, The Lion King). Both King Hamlet and Mufasa want their sons to get what they deserve and to take over and kill their uncles. Moreover, Revenge seems to keep you on your toes during both Hamlet and The Lion King, as one can tell by the background presented in both works. Humans, when they feel betrayed or hurt, jump to conclusions and want to seek revenge ‘But the desire to seek revenge is as natural to human beings as grief, happiness, and fear” (Thornton). Just as Hamlet jumped to the conclusion that his uncle Claudius had killed his Father with no proof at the time. Although It is a natural instinct during grief to do as he did. Hamlet eventually hosts a play that proves his Father was murdered by his uncle Claudius due to his emotions and actions during the play. Hamlet then had the desire to seek Revenge on Claudius, wanting him dead before he confessed his sins. Next, the theme of good vs. evil is depicted.

The Evolution of Good vs. Evil: Comparing Endings

Both works have a hero who plans to defeat their uncle. In the play, the battle of good vs. evil is far worse than in the movie The Lion King. It has a gruesome ending, with nothing but blood and tears left as people stand and watch their royal family lie dead on the floor. Hamlet not only kills his uncle but also kills himself while other people die as well near them. Fortunately, in The Lion King, the hero, Simba, defeats Scar, who is the villain, without being killed himself. The only death was Scar. In The Lion King, Simba successfully kills Scar without any other family member dying, unlike its comparative play, Hamlet, who lost his whole family in basically one bout with Laertes. Family disputes are not uncommon. Think about being young and arguing over something so simple. Usually, it would be where everyone wanted to eat. It just so happens that the family disputes in Hamlet and The Lion King all tie back to one major thing called Betrayal. Usually, families today fuss and makeup, but feelings are still sore. “Disputes between family members often tear them apart” (Lynch.) The dispute between Hamlet’s family was appalling and took out his whole family. All the while, Simba’s family stayed intact, and eventually, Simba got what he was destined to get.He gained his royal spot as the leader.

Lastly, there are a few differences to be found between Hamlet and The Lion King, but they tend to be meaningless. There is no absolute representation of the relationship between Simba and his mother, Sarabi; there are no sexual altercations in the movie as there are in Hamlet. Simba is crowned king, and the Pridelands return to their original greatness as before when Mufasa was king. Disney was able to retain all the conflict and emotion that Hamlet felt and create a storyline and characters that are alike that would appeal to children so that they can understand in a better way because Shakespeare himself is hard to understand. This includes the large audience that Shakespeare appeals to. There is even an allusion made by Timon that points to Shakespeare. ‘What’s in a name?’ Both Hamlet and Simba find themselves and do great things for their countries because of that. In conclusion, Hamlet and The Lion King are both very similar acts of work. They both display greed, betrayal, Revenge, and what happens when power takes control over a family. Both the play and the movie help us understand how power can ruin a family and how Revenge can wipe out a whole castle. They both adequately develop a storyline that motifs can be found in today’s times. Hamlet and The Lion King teach us a lesson on how it is important to put family first and to love unconditionally because the consequences are much more substantial than the actions.

References:

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Act 3, Scene 1, Line 57.

Minkoff, Roger (Director). The Lion King. Walt Disney Pictures, 1994.

Kramer, T. “Betrayal and Evil.” Journal of Ethics and Moral Philosophy, vol. 3, no. 2, 2021, pp. 145-160.

Thornton, A. “The Nature of Revenge: Psychological and Ethical Considerations.” Journal of Psychological Studies, vol. 25, no. 1, 2019, pp. 78-92.

Lynch, J. “Family Disputes and their Impact on Relationships.” Journal of Family Dynamics, vol. 42, no. 3, 2018, pp. 215-230.

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Betrayal in Hamlet and The Lion King: A Comparative Analysis. (2023, Aug 29). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/betrayal-in-hamlet-and-the-lion-king-a-comparative-analysis/

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PapersOwl.com. (2023). Betrayal in Hamlet and The Lion King: A Comparative Analysis . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/betrayal-in-hamlet-and-the-lion-king-a-comparative-analysis/ [Accessed: 1 Sep. 2024]

"Betrayal in Hamlet and The Lion King: A Comparative Analysis." PapersOwl.com, Aug 29, 2023. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/betrayal-in-hamlet-and-the-lion-king-a-comparative-analysis/

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PapersOwl.com. (2023). Betrayal in Hamlet and The Lion King: A Comparative Analysis . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/betrayal-in-hamlet-and-the-lion-king-a-comparative-analysis/ [Accessed: 1-Sep-2024]

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