The Philosophical Aspects of the Lion King Film

 

The Lion King is a film that has been extremely influential on many individuals, especially among young people. However, it is often easy for individuals to dismiss the significance of this film, because at first glance, it seems to only be a journey by a young cub towards the attainment of justice not only for his father, but also his family and people as well. A deeper look reveals a number of worldviews and philosophies, which play a critical role in making sure that there is a greater understanding of the world. One of the most significant factors concerning the Lion King is that it essentially shows the various philosophies, especially religious and ethical ones, which are prevalent around the world. The Lion King is closely related to philosophical values based on ethics, religion, and nature, which will be discussed in this paper.

The Lion King is closely tied to religious philosophy, and this is especially the case when it comes to the way that it handles the issue of destiny. Most religions in the world often seek to address human destiny, and this is one of the reasons why it is critical to make sure that there is the advancement of various doctrines to describe it. This film contains a number of Christian religious philosophies which are addressed in a number of ways throughout its course. However, while Christianity is quite dominant, it also shows a number of worldviews that contain other religious overtones, which play a critical role in bringing about a greater understanding of the situation at hand. For example, Scar, the brother of Mufasa, and Simba’s uncle, is the main antagonist of the film, whose personality is presented as an evil force which has to be overcome. Mufasa, on the other hand, is the representation of the ultimate goodness, and his presence in parts of the film, especially after his death, represents hope for Simba. After Mufasa is tricked to his death through Scar’s machinations, the latter essentially convinces Simba that he murdered his father, making the cub flee, and leaving Scar as the ruler of the animal kingdom (Reinhartz 14). However, Scar’s rule is one that is not only evil, but also destructive, to such an extent that the entire kingdom ends up suffering. A consequence is that Simba ends up returning to take his rightful place as ruler and all is restored to its former glory. The example above is one that can be considered to be based on religious philosophy, so that Mufasa represents God, Simba represents his son or an incarnation of him, and Scar is the representative of evil, or even the devil.

Another prominent element in this film is the idea of the afterlife. The latter case is also one based on religious philosophy, which involves a process where there is the promotion of a situation where there is need to bring about an understanding of what happens when an individual dies. This is a lesson that is expounded upon by Mufasa, when teaching Simba about the circle of life. He teaches Simba that although lions eat the antelope, when lions in turn die, they end up turning into grass, which in turn feeds the antelope. In this way, Mufasa’s lesson essentially notes that nothing in nature goes to waste, and there is need for each of the creatures within it to take on their role responsibly so that the circle is not interfered with. While Mufasa does not tell his son where the soul goes when an individual dies, later in the film, Mufasa appears to Simba in the form of a storm cloud, encouraging him to take on his rightful place as ruler of the animal kingdom. Therefore, the idea that the soul goes somewhere following death is an important aspect of religious philosophy, and it is addressed, albeit briefly in the film, through Mufasa’s later appearance. It promotes the idea that the souls of the dead are constantly watching over those that they have left behind (Fadner 4). Moreover, it allows for the development of a better understanding of the way through which religions understand the meaning of death, and how they seek to give hope to their adherents that there is an afterlife.

Ethical philosophy also plays an important role in this film. This is especially the case considering that the various characters within it display varying ethical values, which are representations of the realities in the world. For example, Mufasa is an example of a highly ethical leader, who only seeks to ensure the best for his people (Lu 3). He is portrayed as a wise leader, as seen through the lesson that he gives Simba concerning the circle of life, and the reason to make sure that there is the establishment of a balance within the animal kingdom. His rule essentially serves as an example and a beacon of hope for Simba, who seeks to emulate him. However, there are instances in the film where unethical leadership can also be seen, as in the case of Scar, who is an individual that seems to be more focused on amassing power and satisfying his greed than in the welfare of his people. Scar, along with his hyena allies, because of their ineffective rule, ends up devastating the animal kingdom, to such an extent that it leads to a situation where the natural balance is interfered with. The excessive hunting to satisfy the needs of the Scar and his allies ends up leading to a disaster, which also makes the people come to the realization that they need another ruler like Mufasa in order for the kingdom to survive. The return of Simba, and his challenge to Scar’s rule can be considered an important event because it not only leads to the return of just rule, but also one of a leader that is ethical in his approach to leading his kingdom.

In conclusion, Lion King is a film that has a considerable number of philosophical stances. Most of these are related to religious philosophy and the manner through which it has an everyday effect on the lives of individuals. The characters in the film are reflections of human character, and these span the entire spectrum of personalities. All of these are related to the way that humans live, and the film promotes the philosophies that aim at describing these characteristics and their ethical consequences.