The Lion King is Disney's most successful film to date. Many believe that The Lion King is Disney's only original film; the only film that was not previously a fairy tale from one country or another. In fact, The Lion King is based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. Disney writers gloss over the basic character archetypes and simplified storyline in a children's tale about cute African lions. On the other hand, William Shakespeare's Hamlet was based on the epic of Son-Jara or Sundiata. What led to the debate was The Lion King based on Shakespeare's Hamlet or the West African story, the epic of Son Jara. Simba, Hamlet and Son-Jara are all heroes in their own stories. All must face a villain who knew very well, but who Simba's journey most resembles. Does Simba represent Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, or Son-Jara, the lion king. The characters in The Lion King are very similar to the characters. to Hamlet. Simba, the main character of The Lion King, plays Hamlet. Simba and Hamlet are the sons of kings and both are the rightful heirs to the throne. “By pairing the play Hamlet with the Disney film The Lion King, students discover that Hamlet and Simba both represent the mythical archetype of the exiled child whose role is to restore world order and who has a heroic task. Students also realize that they, too, are unique individuals engaged in heroic journeys. » (Gavin 55) Hamlet and Simba, when he was a lion cub, were banished from their home. Simba went into exile because he believed he killed his own father, but it was actually his uncle's scar that killed him. Hamlet, on the other hand, was sent to college by his uncle Claudius. Claudius became king of Denmark after the death of Hamlet's father. Claudius believed that Hamlet played a h...... middle of paper ......ng. Real. Roger Allers. Walt Disney Pictures, 1994. Flim. Simon, Peter Ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Second Shorter Edition, Vol.I.New York: WW Norton + Company, 2009Nobumitsu.The Epic of Son-Jara. Simon 1552-1587 William Shakespeare. Hamlet. Simon 1782-1872 Gavin, Rosemarie. The Lion King" and "Hamlet": A Homecoming for the Exiled Child. The English Journal 3rd Series. 85 (1996): 55-57. Print.Paterno, Domenica R. "The Real Lion King of Africa : the epic story of Sundiata, king of Old Mali." Annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English. Orlando. November 16-21, 1994. Speech. "Q&A with the directors of DISNEY THE LION KING!" Interview by Victor Medina Q&A with the DIRECTORS OF DISNEY THE LION KING Web April 3.. 2012.