Hamlet has always been a particular favorite of mine. Duels, ghosts, murder, treason, the language of Shakespeare at its pinnacle mixed with drama and intrigue worthy of a Greek tragedy — what’s not to love? And yet, how have we honored its literary legacy? By handing over the Bard’s immortal story to lions, to meerkats, to warthogs and hyenas and baboons! Shakespeare would be appalled.
But although The Lion King seems thoroughly Disney-fied on its colorful surface, perhaps there is more to this (loose) adaptation than meets the eye. The cautionary tale of a young man driven to madness and violence becomes, instead, a story whose example we can encourage our own students and children to follow. For in the story of Simba, we are asked to focus not on the prince’s descent into madness, but on his ascent into adulthood, as he takes ownership of his legacy — mistakes and all — and strives to become his best self.
Devastated by the loss of his father and alienated by a cunningly cruel uncle, Simba at first retreats into the philosophy of “Hakuna Matata,” stubbornly avoiding every problem by escaping into a dreamlike world eerily similar to Hamlet’s own madness. Yet instead of giving up entirely, Simba eventually listens to good advice and goes back to face his mistakes and accept the responsibility that comes with growing up. He never loses the bright-eyed eagerness of a youthful cub, but he can now temper his energy with perspective, acting with intention rather than merely reacting to the world around him. As Simba makes the conscious choice not to follow the same path of violence as his uncle, we are presented not with the tragic prince whose thirst for revenge leaves his country in a power vacuum, but with a leader who knows that he must be an example for his people, who is ready to take on the responsibilities of adulthood and kingship.
More than just a child’s Hamlet, The Lion King gives us a glimpse into what the story could have been. Not the tale of a great tragedy, true, but one a great hero. And one that, just maybe, Shakespeare would not have minded after all.
Leonora Mahler
Director
