Maya Sims
AP English Literature and Composition
Mrs. King
5 December 2016
A Comparison of Hamlet and The Lion King’s Protagonists
The plot of Hamlet by William Shakespeare has been duplicated to fit modern plot lines. One duplicated plot is that of Disney’s The Lion King. A similarity between the two plots is seen in the protagonists Hamlet, in Hamlet, and Simba, in The Lion King. Hamlet and Simba both fit the role of a tragic hero as well as the archetype of an exiled child in their plot lines.
Simba and Hamlet can be described as tragic heroes. A tragic hero is defined as, “...a person who faces adversity...however, sometimes he faces downfall” The character is considered a tragic hero, when he confronts downfall (Tragic Hero - Examples). …show more content…
In the face of adversity, Hamlet is indecisive and therefore does not act on his opinions. Hamlet faces downfall as he is not able to act on the revenge of his father’s death. His downfall is his fatal flaw of not being able to decide if vengeance is right or wrong. At first, Hamlet is eager to avenge his father’s death: HAMLET. Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge (1.5.29-31).
This is Hamlet’s reply to the ghost who tells him to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet’s flaw of indecisiveness will affect how he reacts to the conversation with the ghost. Hamlet also fits the archetype of an exiled child, as described above, because he is the son of the king and queen of Denmark. Claudius attempted to have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern kill Hamlet. Hamlet tries to restore the government by avenging his father’s death. Hamlet gains power when others are scared of him and what he might do. Hamlet is violent when he kills Polonius and other characters. Hamlet’s role in Hamlet can be compared and contrasted with Simba in The Lion …show more content…
Simba’s downfall is his need to be just like his father Mufasa. He feels that he must be brave in order to be king some day. Simba also fits the role of the archetype of an exiled child because his father is king of Pride Rock, Scar tells Simba to run away and sends his hyenas to kill him. When Simba finds out Scar has turned Pride Rock into a horrible place, he goes back and attempts to restore what it used to be, he gains power when he returns to Pride Rock, and he uses violence when he tells Scar to step down from king or to fight. Simba followed Hamlet’s footsteps of a tragic hero and an exiled
AP English Literature and Composition
Mrs. King
5 December 2016
A Comparison of Hamlet and The Lion King’s Protagonists
The plot of Hamlet by William Shakespeare has been duplicated to fit modern plot lines. One duplicated plot is that of Disney’s The Lion King. A similarity between the two plots is seen in the protagonists Hamlet, in Hamlet, and Simba, in The Lion King. Hamlet and Simba both fit the role of a tragic hero as well as the archetype of an exiled child in their plot lines.
Simba and Hamlet can be described as tragic heroes. A tragic hero is defined as, “...a person who faces adversity...however, sometimes he faces downfall” The character is considered a tragic hero, when he confronts downfall (Tragic Hero - Examples). …show more content…
In the face of adversity, Hamlet is indecisive and therefore does not act on his opinions. Hamlet faces downfall as he is not able to act on the revenge of his father’s death. His downfall is his fatal flaw of not being able to decide if vengeance is right or wrong. At first, Hamlet is eager to avenge his father’s death: HAMLET. Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge (1.5.29-31).
This is Hamlet’s reply to the ghost who tells him to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet’s flaw of indecisiveness will affect how he reacts to the conversation with the ghost. Hamlet also fits the archetype of an exiled child, as described above, because he is the son of the king and queen of Denmark. Claudius attempted to have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern kill Hamlet. Hamlet tries to restore the government by avenging his father’s death. Hamlet gains power when others are scared of him and what he might do. Hamlet is violent when he kills Polonius and other characters. Hamlet’s role in Hamlet can be compared and contrasted with Simba in The Lion …show more content…
Simba’s downfall is his need to be just like his father Mufasa. He feels that he must be brave in order to be king some day. Simba also fits the role of the archetype of an exiled child because his father is king of Pride Rock, Scar tells Simba to run away and sends his hyenas to kill him. When Simba finds out Scar has turned Pride Rock into a horrible place, he goes back and attempts to restore what it used to be, he gains power when he returns to Pride Rock, and he uses violence when he tells Scar to step down from king or to fight. Simba followed Hamlet’s footsteps of a tragic hero and an exiled