Have any of you thought about how traditionalism is a major theme in The Lion King?
Far from being simply monarchist, the film touches on the concept of natural hierarchy. Mufasa tells his young son "Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope." And when Simba asks why they eat the antelope, his father explains that when they die, their bodies become the grass and that the antelope eat the grass. Mufasa then concludes "And so, we are all connected in the great circle of life." Ultimately, a king is both master and servant.
We know that Scar is a murderous usurper, but it is interesting to see how he solidifies his power over the Pride Land. He surrounds himself with hyenas. That is to say, scavengers who only eat by attacking the weak or by taking advantage of hunters who leave the scraps of their kill unprotected. Scar appeals to them by promising them more meat that they don't have to hunt and a place in the Pride Land. Scar may believe he is king, but he is no monarchist. He relies on the fact that hyenas outnumber lions. If that's not democracy in action, I don't know what is.
Finally, in one of the most touching scenes of the film, Simba asks his father if they'll always be together. Mufasa then tells Simba "Let me tell you something my father told me. 'Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars.' So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And, so will I." Mufasa appeals to his ancestors for guidance and instructs his son to do the same. And when Simba is grown and cries out into the starry, night sky for his father, Mufasa appears in the clouds. He does not give his son platitudes and "nice" sounding drivel. Mufasa tells his son to go back and take his rightful place as king. Above all, he tells Simba to "remember".
The appeal to duty, family, homeland, and tradition is very strong in this film. I wanted to share my thoughts on this movie which is very close to my heart as my mom took my sisters and I to see it on my 8th birthday. Because it was so enormously popular, I believe it's a powerful Trojan horse to utilize when arguing for traditionalism.
Thank you for your time if you made it this far. God love you.
-post by Patrick Iohannes
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