Compare And Contrast Lion King And Hamlet

Some stories that are considered ‘classics’ often get reiterated to offer a similar message to a younger generation. As Shakespeare was such a strong author and playwright, many of his pieces are retold. The story of Hamlet is often retold with different characters, however, perhaps the most popular adaptation is the Walt Disney film, The Lion King. As The Lion King and Hamlet were developed for different demographics, there are similarities and differences between the main characters, and the supporting characters, which also affect the overall theme and plot tone. The main characters in both The Lion King and Hamlet are perceived in the same way by the audience as they share many of the same character traits and personalities. The original

The one common love interest of Nala in The Lion King by Simba, and Ophelia in Hamlet by Prince Hamlet. Nala also seemed to have some characteristics that were modeled around the character of Horatio; as Nala was both a love interest but also a close, trusted, friend of Simba. Both of these women served as a support system for the prince and were deeply cared for by him. These similarities only last until Ophelia from Hamlet is driven to madness and eventually death, after the death of her father. As The Lion King is a children's film, this dark tone is suppressed and only Nala’s support and strength is shown. This type of character adaptation for a children’s movie is also shown with Sarabi. Although both Sarabi and Queen Gertrude loved their sons very much, they are portrayed as very different people in their respected stories. Gertrude’s love for her son is shown when she stops him from drinking the poisoned goblet by saying “No, no, the drink, the drink! O, my dear Hamlet! / The drink, the drink! I am poisoned” (5.2.340-341). The Queen’s love for the prince is shown as she willingly sacrifices herself to save her son. However, she does not seem to possess the same loyalty or love for old Hamlet; as she chooses to marry Claudius shortly after the

Hamlet and The Lion King shared majority of the themes that were found in each story. A theme of revenge was prominent in both the film and the original play as Simba and Prince Hamlet worked towards avenging their fathers throughout the story. Politics can also be seen in both as the stories explain to the viewer/reader that a bad king can mean a corrupt and equally bad kingdom (murders committed by the new kings). Although some harsh themes, family also seems to be mutual in both tales, more so seen in The Lion King. Shakespeare was able to show the reader the importance of family throughout Hamlet, when there is a power-hungry family member, and the rest of the family must stick together to overcome the struggle. The producers of The Lion King do a similar job as they explain the same thing, however also digging into the loyalty of Sarabi for Mufasa. The reason for a greater theme of positivity in the newer film is due to the demographics. The Lion King was primarily a children’s film, thus it required a simpler and happier tone. This also changes the overall plot by reducing the number of deaths and ruling out madness. This tone also affects the number of comic relief moments in the story. In Hamlet, there were only a few moments in which Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were able to lighten the mood of the play by offering comedic anecdotes. In The Lion