Moving forward 30 years, the societal expectations of women have progressed rapidly since the 1950s. By the 1990s, women constitute for 43% of the workforce, it is socially acceptable for both men and women to have work, and the wage gap has decreased rapidly. It is also common for families to have two-wage earners, and household/childcare responsibilities are juggled between parents. [5] Women are no longer expected to serve men as their perfect housewife, however they are expected to marry and have a successful lineage. Following Walt Disney’s death in 1966, the renaissance era of Disney presented a wide variety of films containing racially diverse leads who aspire to more than wifely duties, however they still aspire to true love. In contrast …show more content…
Fearing that her father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan takes his spot. Though, as a girl, she is unqualified to serve in the military. She impersonates a man, falling in love with a captain along the way. An interesting detail is that Mulan is the only Disney princess who is not actually a princess - she is not born into royalty and does not marry into royalty. When Mulan cuts her hair off in order to further impersonate a man, it is a symbol of Mulan’s femininity being “cut off” as she strives to put her family first. Long hair has been an iconic female trend across multiple decades. It is seen as feminine and pretty, especially in China as hair is regarded as a precious legacy from parents. Many people would never cut their hair, and cutting your hair was a penalty for minor crimes. Mulan willing to break her cultural beliefs in order to protect her father portrays Mulan as a selfless woman who does not desire to serve as the perfect, dainty daughter for her family - rather, she would fight to serve for her country and her father. Additionally, Mulan’s ancestors are called to watch over her as it is discovered that she is off to fight in the war. The ancestors gather around and a high camera angle is used, making Mulan look smaller and inferior to them. They insult her, calling her a trouble maker and a dishonour to their …show more content…
Both Pocahontas and Mulan themselves start off in unfortunate situations where they are required to step up and save an important male figure in their lives, later saving the day and being deemed the hero of their own story. Women watching in the 1900’s are looking for a realistic story that they can relate to, as they are no longer pretty little housewives as seen in golden era disney films. They currently are strong, independent women who take up half of the work force and share wifely/motherly duties with their significant others. The vast majority of woman are happy with being able to work, as biological sex is no longer a contributing factor when considering employment. Pocahontas and Mulan reinforce the idea that women should aim to tell their own story and do what they want, but they must save someone they love and turning themselves into a hero. When women view this film, it is subtly showing them that in order to live their perfect, happily ever after that they can aspire to being a hero, but they must also aspire to true love. They do have the option to reject a “prince charming”, as that is what this “escapist fantasy” is showing them in Mulan as she peaks a love interest but does not follow through with it - however, she still saves an iconic male figure in her life. This representation is partially beneficial to women. They may
The movie and poem of Mulan both explain the story of a young woman named Mulan who lives in China during the Han Dynasty. However, the movie and poem describe the same story in different ways.
Disney Princess movies target children and are none other than a transfigured fairytale story in which innocence and moral virtue are questioned. In pursuit of romance and having the mindset of doing whatever it takes for love, Disney creates this magical world and targets the youth, especially young girls. Walt Disney was a creative and “radical filmmaker who changed [one’s] ...
This scene also leaves the viewers relieved, and happy because Mulan gets to stay the army and she has finally shown everyone else that she is just as good has them and even better.
Mulan now respects herself and the whole country of China respects her. She overcome the insecurities of thinking that she will never amount to what her family wants of her.
Mulan goes through being rescued when she fights Shan-Yu on top of the roof of the Emperor’s palace and Mushu helps Mulan pin Shan-Yu down and blow him up with fireworks. Mulan‘s ego decreases when Mushu successfully tries to help her get rid of Shan-Yu. She considers herself a hero now and does not want Mushu to think she cannot fight her own battles. Mulan in the end disregards her ego in order for her to not die on the roof. Mulan crosses the final threshold when she returns to her home with the gifts from the Emperor hoping her family will forgive her for leaving the family to go fight in the war. Her father accepts Mulan’s new power and wisdom and told her that, “The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter.” Mulan’s return to the past is pleasant and safe knowing that nothing can change her family’s love and affection for her. In addition, Mulan enters into the final step in the hero’s journey: the freedom to live. Mulan shows her freedom to live when she invites her soul mate, Li-Shang for dinner. This event marks the end of Mulan dwelling on the past and makes her excited, but not concerned about what the future
Set in the Northern Wei dynasty of China, the gender roles of China were simple as depicted through song in Mulan. “We all must serve our Emperor… a man by bearing arms, a girl by bearing sons.” Mulan’s one and only role in life is to marry a man, who she is deemed fit for and to bear many sons and tend to the home. She is to live a life of homely domesticity. This is perhaps one of the most obvious motifs that don’t shine a nice pretty light on Mulan. Mulan has to go to a beauty salon in order to meet the matchmaker and “bring honor” to her family. At the salon, Mulan is mercilessly soaked in a freezing bath, has her hair tied up neatly, her waist laced up, and is overloaded with excessive make-up and jewels. The potential brides, Mulan included, are thus made to look like “cultured pearls, each a perfect porcelain doll.” According to the beauty specialists, “A girl can bring her family great honor in one way, by striking a good match.” They preach that “Men want girls with good taste, calm, obedient, who work fast-paced, with good breeding and a tiny waist.” This demonstrates heg...
Mulan tells that the story of brave Mulan. Mulan did not want her elderly father to fight in the war, so she disguised as a man and joined in her father 's army. Finally, Mulan defeated the Huns and Shan Yu (leader of the Huns) with her partners in barracks. This Disney film portrays the conflict perspective, feminism, and symbolic interaction perspective.
Disney has portrayed women in movies by the use of animation characters for over a century since the 1900s. There has been a very big change since the early 1900’s to modern day in Disney’s depiction of the personalities of the women, their attitudes and ideologies towards men, and the way they are portrayed in the movies. This progression has had a distinct development, from passive damsels in distress in need of the help of men, to being superheroes. Therefore, the evolution of women in Disney movies will be analyzed through the use of university level feminist essays, as well as a research paper written about gender roles in Disney animation. The evolution will also be analyzed through examination of the clips of the movies themselves.
Mulan is, and always has been, a hero in her own way. She goes off to war with nothing but her own will to protect who she loves pushing her forwards. People may think of a hero as a man with broad shoulders and a beautiful lady behind him. Mulan proves that this representation is stereotypical. She, a women, goes out and protects her father. Heroes can be called many different names but there is one thing they all have in common, they all have a goal to help someone that means so much to
...ero and the army members praised her. Just like when Shan-Yu was killed. Mushu gets the canon for Mulan and shoots it after Mulan pins Shan-Yu’s cape to the rooftop. After Mushu defeats Shan-Yu, he has achieved what he had set out to do, which is save Mulan and bring honour to past, present and future Fa families.
William Shakespeare once said, “[My] honor is my life; both grow in one; take honor from me, and my life is done.” The idea is touched upon in both the book Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston as well as Disney’s Mulan were family honor is more important than anything else. Mulan was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The film Mulan retold the story of a woman warrior who took her father’s place in battle and became a savior of China.The movie uses many elements from the original story told in the chapter “White Tigers,” but adds many modern twists in order to make the story more appealing for a newer generation. In both stories of Fa Mu Lan the elements of sacrifice, silence and voice, cultural practices of ancestor worship and filial piety, and Chinese stereotypes are present.
Disney princesses are fun for all ages, but their target audience is young children and “as children grow and develop, they can be easily influenced by what they see and hear”. Therefore, what they see and hear in Disney movies leaves an impression on them. The first princess, Snow White, was created in a time where each gender and race had a specific role in society. Recently, many believe that Disney has come a long way in regards to gender and race since Snow White, as several multi-cultural protagonists have been introduced subsequently, and gender roles do not appear to be as stereotypical as they once were. However, many of the apparent innocent messages about race and gender in these movies, can be exposed as otherwise. Despite their mask of progression, Disney princesses still have the potential to corrupt the minds of young children through sexism and racism.
Overall, the Disney movie, Mulan, demonstrates gender roles, socialization of gender roles, and consequences of breaking the gender roles. By Mulan going to war for her father, in China, many things were at risk, life, honor, and the country of China, itself. Displaying the characteristics a man had was the only way for Mulan to survive, granted, she was not great at displaying woman characteristics in the first place. Being caught in war, as a woman, meant death, but Mulan was lucky for her bravery when saving Captain Li Shang, for he spared her life, which allowed Mulan to help save China and the emperor in the end. Even though China had very strict gender roles, Mulan broke them to save her father’s life and became the person she was meant to be.
In the Disney film Mulan, the character for Mulan plays an important part to support the example of a woman not satisfied with her state of being and subordinated position in society and therefore, takes action to show others her true capabilities and qualities. This prototype is scarcely depicted in today’s cartoons and films so that children rarely identify with this image. “Mulan” helps to promote this role model of an intelligent woman and could be the first step in breaking gender constraints. In addition, it might teach children that they have to find their own state of happiness rather than trying desperately to fulfill society’s expectations.
The classic Disney movie, Mulan, is often praised as a film involving feminist empowerment, but upon closer look just the opposite appears to be true. The classic storyline includes Mulan, a young Chinese woman, taking over her fragile father’s place in the Chinese army, disguised as a man named Ping. She trains among the other soldiers, becoming one of the very best with her accompanying guardian dragon, Mushu and a cricket her grandmother gave her for luck for the matchmakers by her side. She ends up saving all of China by revealing that the Huns are back and invading the country, and is honored as a hero. This movie breaks away from the typical damsel in distress princess story by having a single woman save all of China. However, on Mulan’s journey she faced extreme female shaming, and experienced stereotypes attempting to belittle her; all