In the 1998 Disney rendition of the Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan, portrays a young girl whose father is called to fight with the Chinese army in order to defeat the invading Huns. Mulan’s father is old and weak, and in order to keep him safe she takes his place. The poem was first written in the 6th century but was written into a novel in the 12th century. It is the first poem to show gender equality. Mulan as portrayed in the cartoon movie fights the struggles of the Chinese culture and its gender constructions of a woman. As she transforms herself into a warrior, she breaks down those gender constructions and has to learn how to play by the rules of the Chinese male culture.
In the United States, women have progressed through the years as they fought and struggled for equality. Women have the same jobs as men, wear the same clothes, have the same rights, can join the military, and ultimately has a choice in whether they want to be a housewife or a working wife. Women have a fouth choice to be self-autonomous by entering the world of education and careers. In China, especially in the days of dynasties, there was no choice for a woman. Even in today’s society in China, there are parts that have stayed native to their beliefs, and kept the culture of ancient China.
Even in the days of Mulan culture formed their beliefs. Males made the rules and women were subservient. They were expected to be virgins until marriage and had no other choice but to be a mother. If they don’t marry and have offspring there is no use of them and they are seen as failures. “The culture expects women to show greater acceptance of, and commitment to the value system than men. The culture and the Church insist that women are subservient to males” (Anzaldua, 1018). Because religion and culture go hand in hand, the women feel guilt and shame if they don’t follow the rules of the male hierarchy. Mulan doesn't meet this standard from the beginning. She is very androgonous which is a dishonor in the Chinese society.
As Mulan gets ready to battle, and begins to transform herself in the identity of a man, the Gods of her family send a small and incompetent dragon to deter her from her mission. When Mushu, the dragon meets Mulan, he also meets her Shadow-Beast, and instead of stop her, he helps her. The term Shadow-Beast was termed by Gloria Anzaluda, Chicana American writer, who bases her writings on ethnic studies.
“There is a rebel in me--the Shadow-Beast. It is part of me that refuses to take orders from outside authorities. It refuses to take orders from my conscious will, it threatens the sovereignty of my rulership. It is the part of me that hates constraints of any kind, even those self-imposed, At the least hint of limitations on my time or space by others, it kicks out with both feet. Bolts” (Anzaldua 1018).
When Mushu sees the fire and determination within Mulan, he understands nothing can stop her Shadow-Beast, and therefore the roles in the relationship switch. Mulan, the female, is not making the rules to which the dragon must follow. Mulan then joins the army and goes with the Chinese to fight off the invasion of the Huns. This story is so spectacular not just because she is a woman, but because she is a woman in a sacred culture where this type of female behavior is unacceptable. Mulan goes from this young beautiful child who is made up in bright red lipstick and pale white powder that is applied heavily to her face. Her feet are small and dainty and the gowns that hang from her body are heavy and extravagant. This is the ultimate ideal of the Chinese female, and Mulan deconstructs this ethnic perception of their culture and proves that just because she is a woman, does not mean she is capable of being a man.
In the clip below, Mulan mocks what it is like to be a man, as she struggles to fit in with the other men in the army. It isn't until she proves herself physically that she is seen as one of the men in the Chinese army.
“She hid her feelings; she hid her truths; she concealed her fire; but she kept stroking the inner flame. She remained faceless and voiceless, but a light shone through her veil of silence. And though she was unable to spread her limbs and though for her right now the sun has sunk under the earth and there is no moon, she continues to tend the flame. The spirit of the fire spurs her to fight for her own skin and a piece of ground to stand on, a ground from which to view the world” (Anzaldua, 1022).
In the end, Mulan falls in love and her identity is revealed. Although she proved herself to be a hero, the society is still so consumed in their religious and cultural beliefs that she is seen as a disappointment for going against the ways of the Chinese identity and the male hierarchy.
Anzaldua, Gloria. "Borderlands/La Frontera." Literary Theory: An Anthology. Second Ed. Julie Rivkin & Michael Ryan. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2004. 1017-1030. Print.
"Hua Mulan." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 10 May 2010.
Mulan-Bring Honor to Us All [English].Littleosaka. 28 April 2007. YouTube. Web. 10 May 2010.
Mulan Female Dub-What's Your Name? FemaleDubber. 19 Jan 2009. YouTube. Web. 10 May 2010.
Mulan-I'll Make a Man Out of You. xFliiy. 27 Nov 2006. YouTube. Web. 10 May 2010.
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