Similarities Between Hamlet And The Lion King

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The plots of Hamlet and “The Lion King” are similar because, throughout each story, the main characters both have their father killed by their uncle, see their father’s spirit, and put off their responsibility. Though they differ in details, they are extremely similar in some of the most significant events.
In Hamlet, Claudius tried to hide the fact that he killed King Hamlet, and he only confesses before his prayer when he says “Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to heaven. / It hath the primal eldest curse upon ’t, / A brother’s murder. Pray can I not. / Though inclination be as sharp as will, / My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,” (3.3.37-41). He feels guilty for what he did, and he wants to be forgiven. In Mufasa’s case, however, he is killed in cold blood in front of anyone who is there to watch. Scar does not care that people know he murdered him, and he feels no guilt. He uses the fear that that brings the kingdom to hold his place until Simba comes and takes back his throne. Both of these situations make the main
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Hamlet meets his father’s spirit in the beginning of the play, before he had a chance to accept his father’s death. The king’s spirit urges his son to get vengeance from Claudius for stealing his wife and his throne by killing him and taking the throne to himself. In contrast, Simba sees his father’s spirit about half-way into the movie after he had settled into a new life of acceptance; he was only told to take back the throne and save the pride land, not to get revenge or kill anyone. While the specifics of these sightings were different, the communication of these spirits made these two characters jump into action to reach the climax of each story. Hamlet’s run-in caused him to go mad and end up bringing down many of the people that he loves along with Claudius. Simba, however, went back to take his kingdom back and save the land from

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