The Original Lion King
- Justin Javier
- Jan 14, 2019
- 2 min read
Hamlet is considered one of the most timeless plays ever written, so of course its legacy made its mark on the world. The most famous connection made with Hamlet is with The Lion King, a more child-tailored screen experience that takes on so much of what Hamlet had to offer. After reading Hamlet and watching The Lion King, there are many resemblances between the two, including similar scenes and themes, which tie the two media together.
In Hamlet, we hear about themes of justice and revenge, which powers the whole plot. The Lion King also centralizes on justice (maybe a little bit of revenge) and demonstrates a clear similarity between the two. Both media consist of royalty being betrayed, like when Claudius killed King Hamlet or when Scar murdered Mufasa. It is true that the two are not exactly the same, but the plot layout of justice and deviance are very recognizable. You can find more information here.
We can see that there are even specific references to Hamlet within The Lion King that further emphasize their connection. Even Nala can be looked at as Ophelia, where their purpose is to add more drama and both are the main character's love interest. There are many other character connections that can be made, like with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern being Timon and Pumba, etc. More character connections are here for further proof.
When reading Hamlet, its connection to other media like The Lion King can be easily seen, though this should not be a surprise to modern society. Hamlet has had such an impact on today's writing and only a legendary person like Shakespeare could've create such a masterpiece at the time.
Good connection with Hamlet to the movie The Lion King. I wouldn't have noticed the connection between the two. It is an interesting idea that the two could connect. Even though Hamlet features Humans while the Lion King feature animals, the two are indeed similar in ways and are able to connect. They both feature a "murder" for similar desires, they aren't the exact same, but they are similar. There are definitely more points that can lineup but the two medias also have some differences. The themes applied are also similar, as you pointed out. Although they are different medias, they do make a few connections. Very interesting connection of the two.
I’ve never thought about that! Now that I read your post, I can really see some Hamlet references. That Scar and Hamlet reference is pretty interesting. Although there are similar side characters, I think they also have reversed personalities. If Timon and Pumba are equivalents to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, then they have opposite roles; Timon and Pumba side with the Simba whereas Rosencrantz and Guildenstern side with King Claudius. Nala would also have an opposite role to Ophelia. Instead of being subjected to Scar (King Claudius equivalent), Nala stood her ground and eventually became the queen of pride rock. I think overall, very interesting idea.
Jethro