Essay on Comparing Shakespeares Hamlet and the Movie,...

Comparing Shakespeares Hamlet and the Movie, The Lion King There is no doubt that todays entertainment has lost most of its touch with the more classical influences of its predecessors. However, in mid-1994, Walt Disney Pictures released what could arguably be the best animated feature of all time in The Lion King. With a moral base unlike most of the movies released at the time, TLK placed a childrens facade on a very serious story of responsibility and revenge. However, this theme is one of the oldest in history, and it is not the least apparent in one of the oldest works of literature by The Bard himself, William Shakespeare. The work that Disneys TLK parallels is none other than Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, and the film shadows†¦show more content†¦However, some have attempted to theorize that Hamlets delay is due to his mental instability, his madness over the death of his father. Eliot refutes this, calling the characterization a simple ruse, and to the end, we may assume, understood as a ruse to the audience (62). Simba exhibit s this same behavior, venting his feelings in mournful retaliation against responsibility, most notably when his childhood friend Nala attempts to persuade his to return to the Pride Lands. This delay between our characters adds a more haunting effect between the two works. Its surprising that todays audiences can be so moved by themes that were first implemented in literature almost four hundred years before. Similarly, the characters of Hamlet Sr. and Mufasa bear a striking resemblance to one another, not only in their actions, but their meanings as well. Hamlet Sr., the once king of Denmark, ruled his kingdom in peace and prosperity, evident in the conversations in Act I, Scene I between Marcellus and Horatio about the creations of implements of war in Denmark under the new king, Claudius. Mufasa, too, ruled peacefully over the Pride Lands, only worrying about his son and his responsibilities. But, after their deaths, they each become more than the kings they once were. They become the heralds for thir sons, compellingShow MoreRelatedThe Compare and Contrast of Disneys Lion King and Shakespeares Hamlet1022 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet is without question the most famous play in the English language. Hamlet is a play about a characters struggles with the opposing forces of moral integrity and the need to avenge his fathers murder. Disneys The Lion King is an award wi nning film about a young lion cub named Simba, and his struggles against himself and reality. The movie, The Lion King, and the book, Hamlet, both have a similar story line. Shakespeares Hamlet and Disneys The Lion King have similarRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Shakespeare And Disney And The Lion King824 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical and world views, and different outlooks on life in general. Comparing these two works of art was exhilarating, and quite frankly, kind of difficult. Though you may see similar characters portrayed, the characters’ personalities are very different, and their motives even more so. Though a rather loose correlation, Disney’s The Lion King, which was released in 1994, shows direct parallels to Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The iconic death of Mufasa, at the hands of his own brother Scar, wasRead MoreDisneys the Lion King: Sundiata in Disguise?1691 Words   |  7 PagesDisney’s The Lion King: Sundiata in Disguise? Over the course of this semester many of the literary works that have been read contained some source of message designed to both teach and improve either the reader or society. 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Lovecraft-Notably â€Å"the Beast in the Cave†6821 Words   |  28 Pages My introduction to the literature of H.P. Lovecraft came in the form of brief comments about his work on a late-night television talk-show. The host and his guest were discussing how the fiction of Lovecraft helped influence the latest horror movie. With that little nod from Hollywood, I decided to read the first short story of Lovecraft’s I could find. â€Å"The Beast in the Cave,† quickly became my favorite short story even though the final, shock-value scare seemed clichà © in today’s world of