Is this line in the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King an intended allusion to Shakespeare?

Is this line in the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King an intended allusion to Shakespeare? - Close-up Portrait of Lion

From the song Hakuna Matata:

Take Pumbaa here
Why, when he was a young warthog...

He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal He could clear the savannah after every meal

I'm a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned
And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind
And oh, the shame - He was ashamed
Thought of changin' my name - What's in a name?

Is this a deliberate nudge to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which includes the famous line:

What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.

Given that the plot of the Lion King is more or less a Disney version of Hamlet (and the film makers have credited Hamlet as an inspiration), have they ever discussed this line?



Best Answer

Possibly, Yes.

I have yet to find a direct source to Romeo & Juliet, but The Lion King is influenced by Shakespeare's Hamlet.

The Lion King was the first Disney animated feature to be an original story, rather than be based on an already existing work. The filmmakers have said that the story of The Lion King was inspired by the lives of Joseph and Moses, from the Bible, and William Shakespeare's Hamlet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King

The Following Website Also Makes Comparisons between The Lion King & Hamlet. https://owlcation.com/humanities/Similarities-Between-The-Lion-King-and-Hamlet

This video claims to find several Shakespearian references & allusions through all three Lion King feature films, including the sequel, Simba's Pride having specific references to Romeo & Juliet:




Pictures about "Is this line in the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King an intended allusion to Shakespeare?"

Is this line in the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King an intended allusion to Shakespeare? - Close-up Photo of Lion's Head
Is this line in the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King an intended allusion to Shakespeare? - Shallow Focus Photo of Two Brown Lions
Is this line in the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King an intended allusion to Shakespeare? - Close-Up Photo of Lion



HOW DOES The Lion King relate to Shakespeare?

Scar, Mufasa's younger brother, plots to have young Simba and Mufasa killed so he can take the Pride Rock throne; Mufasa ultimately dies due to Scar's machinations. In Hamlet, the prince's uncle, Claudius, also kills his brother so that he can succeed him and become the king.

Is The Lion King an allusion?

The timeless movie \u201cThe Lion King\u201d, directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, contains many thematic biblical allusions and allegories.

Is Hakuna Matata a real saying?

OK, OK, *puts on serious linguistic hat*, 'Hakuna matata' is actually a phrase in the East African language of Swahili that literally means \u201cno trouble\u201d or \u201cno problems\u201d. The music for the song was composed by Elton John with words penned by lyricist Tim Rice, who found the now-famous term in a Swahili phrasebook.

Who said Hakuna Matata in Lion King?

"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 32nd animated feature The Lion King. The music was written by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is based on Timon and Pumbaa's catchphrase in the movie, Hakuna matata, a Swahili phrase meaning "No worry(s)".



Cast of The Lion King - Hakuna Matata (From \




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Pixabay, Alexas Fotos, Iurii Ivashchenko, Gareth Davies