Mufasa and King Hamlet
Character Influence
King Hamlet and Mufasa are fathers of the protagonists and both are killed by their younger siblings. Hamlet was killed before the taking place of the play, but his ghost appears in front of his son, Hamlet, to warn him of his brother’s, Claudius’s, deed and to avenge him. King Hamlet was killed by poison being poured in his ear while he slept. Mufasa is killed a fourth of the way through the film by a heard of wildabeasts while trying to save his son, Simba. Mufasa does appear as a ghost to Simba when Simba becomes an adult, but he does not concentrate on revenge, but on the responsibility of his son and making sure his son takes his “place in the circle of life” (Minkoff & Allers, 1994). Mufasa also has many more scenes than King Hamlet to show character development and he is also used to create character development in Simba. Simba is kind and merciful in adulthood rather than always concentration on bravery and being tough like he was as a cub because Mufasa taught him to be that way when they were looking under the stars saying, “I’m only brave when I have to be. Simba…being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble” (Minkoff & Allers, 1994). King Hamlet also helps create Hamlet’s character by installing a sense and deep desire for revenge and it eventually causes him to fall into madness.
Believers in the Ghosts
The ghosts of the deceased kings are also questioned by characters witnessing the spirit other than the princes. The guards who find the King Hamlet’s ghost believe it to be a physical form of Lucifer trying to trick the humans into sinning and want to chase the spirit away, one of the guards responds, “Shall I strike it with my partisan?” (Shakespeare, trans. 1992, 1.1.153). When Mufasa’s spirit disappears from the clouds, Rafiki, the close friend of the royal family and shaman of the Pride Lands, excuses the experience as a strange instance with the weather, “The weather-Pbbbah! Very peculiar. Don’t you think?” (Minkoff & Allers, 1994). Rafiki does however look towards Simba with an understanding look in his eyes indicating he knew what had just taken place before him; this is also supported by his connection to nature and spirits, specifically Mufasa’s spirit in small scenes throughout the film.
References
group4. (Photographer). (2009). sahseng11 / 2 Act 1 Scene 5 [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://sahseng11.pbworks.com/f/3159417.jpg
lovesimba4ever. (Photographer). (2012). mufasas-ghost-photo [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-lion-king/images/27552012/title/mufasas-ghost-photo
Minkoff, R. & Allers, R. (Producer/Director). (1994). The Lion King [Motion Picture]. United States: Walt Disney
Shakespeare, W. (1992). Hamlet. United States: A Washington Square Press
lovesimba4ever. (Photographer). (2012). mufasas-ghost-photo [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-lion-king/images/27552012/title/mufasas-ghost-photo
Minkoff, R. & Allers, R. (Producer/Director). (1994). The Lion King [Motion Picture]. United States: Walt Disney
Shakespeare, W. (1992). Hamlet. United States: A Washington Square Press