'How can they tell if I am male or female?' With this last line of 'The Ballad of Mulan' the (anonymous) author raises the gender question already in the 6th century.
In this essay, I would like to analyse The Representation of Gender in Walt Disney’s 'Mulan', using the structure of the movie to focus on The Protagonist Fa Mulan, the Treatment of Women and the Depiction of Men. Additionally, the inquiry concerning the Meaning of Song Texts in Disney’s 'Mulan' appears useful as these always play an important role in conveying movie themes.
In order to establish a connection to the seminar on which this paper is based, I will illustrate how the movie is a good example for Judith Butler’s theory of Gender as Performance. Last but not least, I would like to show the Influence of Disney’s 'Mulan' on Society because fairy tales and movies '[…] do influence the manner in which children conceive the world and their places in it […]'.
Drawing the 'Conclusion', I will try a careful approach to find out if Disney’s 'Mulan' might even be considered as a feminist movie. (...)
At a glance
- Grade: 1.7 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Applies Judith Butler’s theory of gender as performative acts to Mulan’s changing gender roles
- 31 sources in the bibliography
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Short Summary of Disney’s “Mulan”
3 The Representation of Gender
3.1 The Protagonist Fa Mulan
3.2 Treatment of Women
3.3 Depiction of Men
3.4 Meaning of Song Texts presented in Disney’s “Mulan”
4 Gender as Performance
5 “Mulan’s” Influence on Society
6 Conclusion: Disney’s “Mulan” – A feminist movie?
Purpose and Thematic Focus
This essay examines the representation of gender in Walt Disney’s “Mulan,” asking whether the film can be considered feminist. It analyzes Mulan’s characterization, gender roles and songs, applies Judith Butler’s theory of gender as performance, and considers the film’s influence on children and society.
- Mulan’s struggle for self-definition and independence
- Women’s subordination in a patriarchal society
- Masculine stereotypes and military identity
- Gender roles expressed through the film’s songs
- Gender as performance through disguise and role-playing
- The film’s influence on children, parents, and society
Excerpt from the Book
The Protagonist Fa Mulan
At the matchmaker’s Mulan is told once again that in order to “[…] please [her] future in-laws, [she] must demonstrate a sense of dignity and refinement. [She] must also be poised and silent.” These characteristics are inculcated into the girls’ minds and in the sense of Simone de Beauvoir, Mulan “[…] is not born, but, rather, becomes, a woman […]” by imposed behavior.
The encounter ends as a disaster and the matchmaker tells Mulan that she “[…] may look like a bride but [she] will never bring [her] family honour.” Her outer appearance does not reflect who she is inside. When Mulan arrives home and takes off her make-up from just one side of her face, this picture visualizes her inner conflict. It shows her true self and the woman she is supposed to be. How she suffers from the previous experience and the inability to fulfil the social expectations is expressed in the song “Reflection” (see Chapter 3.4).
After having discussed the war issue with her father and being told that she needs to find her place in society, Mulan decides that she will join the army in her father’s place. The depiction of her changes from woman to man clearly illustrates the elimination of stereotypical feminine features. She is cutting her long hair short, changes her dress for her father’s military uniform and substitutes the prescription notice with her hairgrip.
Arrived at the boot camp, Mulan - now disguised as the man Ping - has to get used to the masculine behavior of her comrades and tries to adopt their gender role. At the beginning, she is not integrated into the group; she is bullied and sleeps outside the camp. Although she is not as strong as a man, she manages as the only trooper to complete a difficult task on account of her intelligence and great discipline. She holds her ground in a man’s world and is accepted as one of the best soldiers by her comrades. In contrast to the matchmaker scene, Mulan feels “more a part of a group by dressing up as a guy” than by being styled as a girl.
After Mulan rescues the complete unit from being killed in the battle, her secret is revealed. The man who was praised as “[the] bravest of us all” is suddenly shunned by everyone as a woman. She confronts Ling Shang with the question of what is different from her now that she is a woman than when she was a man. The captain had trusted Ping but rejects Mulan. It is at this moment that Mulan sadly “discovers that there are arbitrary sexual distinctions made in society, largely by men”.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: The essay sets out its analysis of gender in Disney’s “Mulan,” including the protagonist, gender roles, songs, Butler’s theory, and social influence.
Short Summary of Disney’s “Mulan”: Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her elderly father’s place in the army. Through her actions, she helps defeat the Huns and earns honor for her family.
The Representation of Gender: This chapter examines Mulan’s resistance to prescribed femininity, the subordination of women, masculine stereotypes, and the gender expectations expressed in the film’s songs.
Gender as Performance: Using Judith Butler’s theory, the essay interprets Mulan’s performances of femininity and masculinity, as well as the soldiers’ disguise as women, as demonstrations of gender’s constructed nature.
“Mulan’s” Influence on Society: The chapter considers how the film may shape children’s understanding of gender and identity, and how it might affect parents’ views of children’s social roles.
Conclusion: Disney’s “Mulan” – A feminist movie?: The essay weighs the film’s portrayal of patriarchal roles against Mulan’s challenge to gender stereotypes, concluding that its feminist status remains debatable.
Keywords
gender representation, Mulan, Walt Disney, gender roles, femininity, masculinity, Judith Butler, gender performance, patriarchy, feminism, fairy tales, identity, children, social influence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this essay about?
It examines how Disney’s “Mulan” represents gender and explores whether the film can be considered feminist.
What are its main thematic areas?
The essay focuses on Mulan, the treatment of women, depictions of men, song lyrics, gender performance, and the film’s social influence.
What is the essay’s main research question?
It asks whether Disney’s “Mulan,” despite portraying patriarchal roles, can be regarded as a feminist movie.
What method does the essay use?
It offers a textual analysis of the film’s characters, story, and song lyrics, framed by gender theory, especially Judith Butler’s theory of gender as performance.
What does the main analysis discuss?
It considers Mulan’s gendered expectations and disguise, the treatment of women, masculine stereotypes, and the messages conveyed by four songs.
Which keywords characterize the essay?
Key terms include gender representation, gender roles, gender performance, patriarchy, feminism, identity, and social influence.
How does the essay interpret Mulan’s disguise as Ping?
It reads her change in appearance and behavior as a performance of masculinity that exposes gender roles as constructed rather than natural.
What role do the songs play in the analysis?
The essay examines how “Honor to Us All,” “Reflections,” “I’ll Make A Man Out of You,” and “A Girl Worth Fighting For” express expectations of women and men.
How does the essay connect the film to children and society?
It considers the film’s potential influence on children’s identity formation and its capacity to prompt parents to reconsider socially conditioned expectations.
- Quote paper
- Sonja Blum (Author), 2007, The Representation of Gender in Walt Disney's "Mulan", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/92028
