The Lion King, released in 1994, is widely regarded as one of Disney’s finest films. Interestingly enough, it is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. A comparison between the two tales reveals numerous similarities. Both The Lion King and Hamlet center around themes of revenge and responsibility. In The Lion King, Simba seeks to avenge his father’s death by Scar, mirroring how Hamlet Jr. seeks retribution for his own father’s demise in Hamlet. Additionally, both narratives emphasize the importance of accepting responsibility.
Simba and Hamlet Jr. were both irresponsible in their actions. Simba would leave the pride lands, while Hamlet Jr. also left his responsibilities. Additionally, both stories had similarities in their fathers’ characters. Hamlet Sr., the former King of Denmark, ruled his kingdom peacefully and prosperously. Similarly, Mufasa, the king of the Pride Lands, focused on his son and his duties. Another resemblance between Mufasa and Hamlet Sr. was their post-death leadership roles for their sons.
They guided their sons to seek revenge on their uncle and clean up his mess. The spirits of both fathers propelled their sons into action. The fathers communicated a message to their sons, allowing them to interpret it themselves without providing specific rules or tasks. There are not only similarities between the virtuous individuals, but also similarities between the malevolent figures. Scar and Claudius, both brothers to the king, share this similarity. They both murdered their brothers in order to seize the throne and corrupt the kingdom. In Hamlet, Claudius takes control of the kingdom and demonstrates his enjoyment of power through hosting parties and marrying his deceased brother’s wife.
In The Lion King, Scar invites all the hyenas to hunt in the Pride Land and appears to be married to Mufasa’s former wife Sarabi. Both characters lead their kingdoms into conflict. Similarly, Timon and Pumbaa in The Lion King serve as counterparts to Hamlet’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Timon and Pumbaa help Simba let go of his past and embrace the carefree lifestyle expressed by the phrase “Hakuna Matata.”
In both Hamlet and The Lion King, there are characters who remind the princes of their responsibility to their kingdoms and fathers. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern fulfill this role in Hamlet, while Timon and Pumbaa do so in The Lion King. Similarly, Sarabi from The Lion King and Gertrude from Hamlet both serve as queens and retain their position even after the death of their husbands. However, once Scar and Claudius seize control, the queens find themselves with very little power or influence.
The princes are shocked by the mistreatment of their mothers when they return to their respective kingdoms, which fuels their desire for revenge on behalf of their fathers. This serves primarily aesthetic purposes. The presence of numerous parallels between Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Disney’s The Lion King demonstrates Shakespeare’s enduring influence on contemporary times, stories, and culture. My appreciation for The Lion King is further enhanced now that I know Shakespeare played a role in one of my favorite movies.
