Olivier’s Old Hamlet Compared to Disney’s Mufasa
Many have made various adaptations of the Shakespearean classic play Hamlet. The elements that are changed in these adaptations give crucial insight into the director’s perception of the events of the play, sometimes done for theatrical effect while at other times done simply for the sake of clarity. One examples of such differences is the scene in which Hamlet sees his father’s ghost in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet compared to the same scene in Disney’s The Lion King. While there is the similarity between the two in that they both urge the male protagonists to take actions resulting in avenging their fathers’ deaths, Old Hamlet’s ghost in Hamlet and Mufasa’s ghost in The Lion King are fundamentally different in their appearance, mood, and purpose.
One major difference in the scenes with the ghosts in the two movies is in the characters restraining the protagonist from seeing his father’s ghost. In Hamlet, Horatio and the guards physically restrain Hamlet from seeing the ghost of his father, citing concerns for his safety as their reasoning. In The Lion King, the primary antagonistic forces preventing Simba from seeing his father’s ghost are not separate characters, but instead his own internal feelings of guilt and remorse as he believes he was responsible for his father’s death. The adaptation that The Lion King takes adds another previously missing element of internal conflict which is considerably more difficult to display in cinematic adaptations where soliloquys and asides look out of place.
The Essay on Hamlet Ghost Bitter Cold
Hamlet - Ghost The presence of the apparition in the opening scene of William Shakespeare " hamlet sets a macabre and eerie tone while emitting and foreshadowing a theme of death. In addition to the death theme the presence of the ghost illuminates on the mystery surrounding the death of Hamlet's father, the King of Denmark. Often in literature the presence of a ghost indicates something left ...
Another major difference in the scenes is in the portrayal of the ghosts of the protagonists’ fathers. In Hamlet, Old Hamlet’s ghost is never actually seen by the viewers of the movie. In The Lion King, Mufasa’s ghost is clearly visible to the viewers, but Rafiki does not directly acknowledge his presence. Both of these lend credence to the widely held notion that Old Hamlet’s ghost was in fact simply a hallucination experienced by Hamlet as he went insane. In Hamlet, the ghost has a slow, eerie voice. In The Lion King however, Mufasa’s ghost’s voice is more soothing and deliberate. The voice of the ghosts accurately reflects the behavior and motives that they have regarding their sons.
A third difference in the two lies in the motives of the ghosts. The ghost of Hamlet’s father has a clear desire for vengeance. He describes the way in which Claudius murdered him and commands Hamlet to excise his revenge. Mufasa’s ghost on the other hand, focuses more on urging Simba to do what is his duty. Mufasa never tells Simba that Scar killed him, but instead focuses on convincing Simba that he has a moral obligation to rule the Prideland and save it from its otherwise certain destruction. An example where this is extremely evident is in the last words that the ghosts say to their sons. Hamlet’s father’s leaving words are “remember me,” instructing Hamlet to ensure that his death is avenged. Contrarily, the words that Mufasa said as he faded away were “remember who you are.” This shows that Mufasa’s ultimate desire was for Simba’s welfare and happiness rather than personal satisfaction
It can be clearly seen that the differences between the two ghosts in these interpretations of Hamlet cause significant alterations in the plot and character development of the protagonist as well. The ideological dissimilarities between the fathers and the circumstances of their appearances, while both ultimately result in their sons killing their uncles who usurped the throne, have significantly different impacts on their motives for doing so and their long-term well-being.
