ufasa tells Simba, and this theme, which prevails throughout the Lion King, seems to describe Hamlet's own inner anguish at his inability to act, possibly upsetting the balance. A positive moral emerges from The Lion King: that even though escapism is possible and often desirable, putting the past behind you does not mean abandonning responsibility. There is also a strong emphasis placed on remembering who you are and where you came from, perhaps addressing the rootlesness of modern culture. Since The Lion King eliminates many of Shakespeare's complex sub-plots and adds in plenty of comic relief, the film could be considered a good introduction to the Hamlet story for younger children. Most of the differences between Hamlet and The Lion King can be justified by Disney's target audience. When everybody dies at the end of Hamlet, we are left with the picture of an elite which has eradicated itself. This ending is insufficient for The Lion King - because film is used to a great extent as a means of socialization, we require a hero and a villain in order to create a moral universe. Since Hamlet has become such a sacred text in our culture, A comparison to the simple plot of a Disney movie leaves us feeling like something has been lost. The Lion King, though, is an honorable attempt at adapting the story for young audiences, and may well prepare children for their later encounter with the real thing by introducing them to some of the themes and ideas that are shared with Hamlet. Works CitedShakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama. Ed. W.B. Worthen. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1993."Lion King, the (1994)". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. 15 October 2001. *http://www.imdb.com/*....
