The Lion King: 5 Ways It's Exactly Like Hamlet (& 5 How It's Different)
Disney is not a stranger to mature themes. While typically marketed at children, there are always lessons to be taken from their animated features. The Lion King was no different. Murder, betrayal, and revenge were all featured in the 1994 film. If the story of a young prince that 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.
10 Like Hamlet: Traitorous Uncle
King Claudius has been portrayed from stage to film by many different actors, but the results are always the same. Claudius was the instigator of the plot to take over the throne of Denmark. He orchestrated his brother’s death in order to gain the throne for himself.
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.
9 Different: The Prince Is Sane
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, came to about an hour and a half. 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 was 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 bones.
8 Like Hamlet: The Father's Ghost
In many Hamlet productions, the appearance of the prince’s father was taken more literally than others. In Hamlet, the 2000 film starring Ethan Hawke, Hamlet's father spoke to him through videos. In some productions, Hamlet’s father appeared as an actual ghost.
Simba encountered Mufasa’s spirit more literally and it had a heavy, meaningful presence. In both iterations, the deceased king must remind his son not to forget the crime that was committed.
7 Different: Nala Is Stronger Than Ophelia
There is not a clear translation for Ophelia in The Lion King, but Nala comes the closest. She was the prince’s intended, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Ophelia was crushed by the weight of her experiences. She endured Hamlet’s mood swings and had to choose between her love and her family.
Nala was strengthened by her difficulties. She persevered and pushed Simba into returning to the kingdom to take his rightful place. In Hamlet, the kingdom collapsed under its own tragedy. And most importantly, Nala was not a tragic figure. She overcame her circumstances while Ophelia was destroyed by them.
6 Like Hamlet: The Prince's Exile
Whether it be Pride Rock or Denmark, the price had a rocky relationship with his home. After Mufasa was killed in one of the most memorable death scenes in an animated film, Scar convinced Simba that it was his fault and that he should be banished. Scar hoped that Simba would, at the very least, never come back to threaten his rule.
King Claudius was more forthright about it, instructing Hamlet’s school friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to kill his nephew. In both these stories, the new king was intent on his nephew never returning.
5 Different: The Queen Is A Good Mother
There are many readings of Queen Gertrude. Many interpretations suggested that she never knew Claudius killed her first husband. However, Gertrude was not blameless in her treatment of her son. Hamlet was exiled and Gertrude sided with her husband Claudius, whether she was aware he was a murderer or not.
Simba’s mother Sarabi was free from this morally gray area. She survived the story, never siding with Scar, and supported her son’s claim to the throne.
4 Like Hamlet: The Prince Has Friends In Exile
Comedic relief is something required in tragedies, especially plays as tragic as Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were college friends of Hamlet who took some edge off of the heavier topics.
Like Hamlet, Simba found himself in exile, though he was not alone. Timon and Pumbaa became his cohorts in banishment and ultimately they all found themselves back at Pride Rock for the final confrontation.
3 Different: Female Agency
Hamlet was full of some of the most notable female archetypes known to drama. Queen Gertrude was the precursor to characters like Cersei Lannister and Gemma Teller. Ophelia was one of the most tragic love interests known in literature. But these women are archetypes for a reason.
Nala and Sarabi both loved their king but were not swayed in one direction or another. They were steadfast. The Lion King also had another steadfast female character. Shenzi was the leader of the hyena faction that followed Scar. She was the other side of the coin. Shenzi supported Scar, not for any obligation or love, but because it was what she believed.
2 Like Hamlet: There Is Love
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 had their own sonnets, so to speak.
Hamlet and Ophelia were consumed with angst throughout the play. However, Hamlet sent her a letter professing his feelings with the famous line “doubt though the stars are fire.” This is recreated in The Lion King through the song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”
1 Different: It Is Not A Tragedy
Throughout Simba watching his father’s death, being ousted by his uncle, and losing his entire childhood, The Lion King had the makings of a great story. It created its own classic after drawing inspiration by 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 came out of it. He took his home back and most unlike Hamlet of all, lost no additional life in the process.
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