BE A MAN!

The first outside screening required for this course was to watch a favorite childhood film. I chose to view Mulan because when I was young Mulan was someone I viewed as a role model. Unlike many other female characters in Disney films she was not motivated by a romantic relationship and did not use her attractiveness as her only means of power. She was active, intelligent, creative, strong, brave and was more often the rescuer than the rescued. She was the kind of woman I wanted to be, but she was impersonating a man.

In the beginning of the film, the feminine standards held by the film's characters is seen and heard as Mulan is beautified and prepares to be interviewed with a matchmaker. "Honor to Us All", the song playing during this scene summarizes explicitly what is expected of Mulan:

"Men want girls with good taste, calm, obedient, who work fast-paced. With good breeding and a tiny waist, you'll bring honor to us all." (Zippel, 1998)

As Mulan is unable to bring honor to her family by achieving the feminine ideal, she decides to cut her hair, steal her father's armor and horse and impersonate a male soldier to fight for China against the Huns in the place of her disabled father.

In training camp Mulan learns how to "be a man", as the soldier's theme repeats the phrase dozens of times. The soldiers are then taught by the General Shang to be strong, forceful, swift and mysterious and that these qualities are representative of their masculinity.

As the soldier's come into their masculinity, the masculinity of the character Chi Fu is a joke among them. Chi Fu is not a soldier, is adorned in furs and more lavish clothing, moves with a sway, and is laughed at when he says he has a girlfriend. Chi Fu's character could be seen as be portraying a gay man who is seen by his peers as not masculine. In the end of the film Chi Fu continues to be looked down upon by his peers, is used as a scapegoat for not accepting Mulan's impersonation and is demoted by the Emperor.

Mulan ends up saving the lives of her fellow soldiers & General and outwitting a mass army of Huns, but after being wounded in battle her sex is discovered. She is not killed, but dismissed. Later, she ends up getting her three soldier friends to cross-dress as to distract Hun soldiers as concubines. Even this film shows female sexuality as a weapon. She ends fighting the leader of the Huns, Shan-Yu, and defeats him with her quick-thinking.

Mulan ends with her receiving praise and gratitude from her fellow soldiers, the Emperor, the crowd, and her family. Shang comes to Mulan's home to stay for dinner, but aside from that the ending is left fairly open. It is possible to imagine Mulan pursuing more adventures, maybe with Shang, maybe not. I enjoy this film on a pure entertainment level but also that their is a strong active female as the protagonist, but it is unfortunate that she is the only strong active female, and that she had to be a man to be strong and active.

Though the ending of the film was fairly open, the merchandising outside of the film seems to show a clearer ending. Though Mulan is portrayed through the majority of the film with short hair, no makeup, and in armor or gender neutral clothing, the overwhelming majority of her merchandise is a glamorized, princess-ized image. I could not find a single doll that features her in armor and only one had a hair-cutting "fashion feature". It seems that through merchandising the manufacturers may very well be trying to place Mulan back into her correct gender role. Teaching girls that though Mulan was a soldier, in the end she will go back to fulfilling the path of femininity that was set for her in the beginning. She's had her fun, but it is time for her to put her dress back on.