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Amanda Chalfant

Frances McCue

Honors 205 A

11 November 2014

Gender Roles in Mulan

Disney movies have often used a bit of creative license when relaying a story set in a

specific time period. Many tell tales of young women—princesses or otherwise—yet these

characters are usually portrayed as helpless, waiting for a prince to come along. Mulan, however,

defies this preset, as she is the one who takes charge and makes the story hers. Then the point to

be considered is the historical accuracy of this: did women have anywhere near this kind of

freedom in ancient China? Disney’s Mulan presents a portrayal of a character that, in her

historical time period, would have been considered an outsider, in defiance of typical gender

roles and social norms. This essay will analyze the character of Mulan by looking at the story’s

origins, the historical context, and Disney’s take on the songs and themes of gender equality.

The actual historical time period of Mulan is not exactly known, as she most likely did

not exist in real life. However, the origins of the story come from a poem titled the Ballad of

Mulan, which was written in the 5th century CE (LeJeune). Therefore, it is necessary to clarify

that the historical context and evidence given in this essay will be based on the general facts of

this time period. Ancient China in the 5th century CE was a period of turmoil: after the fall of the

Han dynasty in the 3rd century CE, it was a period of disunity for several hundred years as

different families attempted to take power (“First”). The idea of Mulan being set in a war-torn

China during this time period seems to make sense, given the struggles between different

dynasties. The country, under its various rulers, was highly susceptible to invasions, such as
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those of the Huns within the movie. It is also interesting to note that one emperor “established a

system called Shija. Descendants from the military family had to join the military” (Leung). This

sets up the context for why Mulan set out for her journey to join the military, when she took the

place of her father; because the family had no sons, he would have been required to fight despite

his advanced age.

As was stated earlier, the Disney version of Mulan comes from a 5th century poem called

the Ballad of Mulan. The relatively short poem details the story of a woman who concealed her

identity and went to war in place of her father. It “rose in popularity as a folk tale among the

Chinese people,” as “it is one of the first poems in Chinese history to support the notion of

gender equality” (“Hua Mulan”). It is interesting to consider that people in ancient China were

open to such an idea of gender equality as it is presented in Mulan; however, this was considered

to be simply a story, not an instruction on how women of the time period were supposed to act.

Mulan, in her role as a warrior, was an inspiration to women to be strong and empowered, yet

not a literal aspiration.

While the Ballad of Mulan was just a fantasy, its last few lines should be noted for their

interpretation of gender equality. Mulan returns home from war and reveals herself as a woman

and everyone is astounded that they did not realize this earlier. The situation is likened to that of

“two
hares
running
side
by
side
close
to
the
ground,” and the question begs,

“how can
 they
tell
if
I
am
he
or
she?” In essence, a woman looks no different

than a man when fighting for the same purpose. The villagers’ acceptance of Mulan as a female

warrior is to be noted; she is exalted and applauded for basically overturning centuries of

tradition that the man fights while the woman tends to the home. The poem’s historical
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popularity and significance suggests that its moral of gender equality was well received in

ancient China.

For most women in ancient China, Mulan’s story is not realistic. The typical woman of

the time period was a housewife; she was “subordinate” to her husband, as her “greatest duty

was to have a son” (“Daily”). Most women would not have had the resources to become

fighters, so the idea of Mulan as a skilled war hero is rather improbable. Some of the organized

philosophies of the time considered women to be below men; the Confucian belief system did

not specifically state this idea, yet some of the doctrines and literature of the time implied it.

A manual was written a few centuries prior to Mulan’s supposed time period entitled

“Lessons for Girls,” and its instructions were widely accepted as normal behavior for girls. In

one portion, it “tells women to ‘yield to others; let her put others first, herself last’” (Reese). One

could argue that this is oppressive to women, urging them to put the needs of a family before

their own happiness. Yet it seems that Mulan is almost centered on this idea of putting others

first: in she initially goes to war because her father is unable to fight. So perhaps for the women

of ancient China, Mulan was an icon of extreme selflessness.

Mulan would have been criticized, however, for her lack of interest and skill in domestic

arts. At the beginning of the Disney movie, she brings dishonor on her family when she fails to

perform well during a matchmaking ceremony. In a time when a woman’s whole role in life was

to provide for her family and carry out its traditions, Mulan’s inability to maintain the expected

behavior of someone her age would have been viewed negatively. Disney’s portrayal of her

family’s worry and shame seems to be historically accurate. Yet for young girls throughout

Chinese history, “this figure that defies traditional role models [would have] been a source of
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inspiration” (LeJeune). She is someone that girls throughout Chinese history have used to relate

their feelings of inferiority in domestic life.

A couple of the songs of Mulan are also steeped in gender stereotypes and are necessary

to this analysis; in ‘I’ll Make A Man Out of You’ and ‘A Girl Worth Fighting For,’ we are

reminded of the sexism that was the norm of ancient China. In the former song, a frustrated

leader sings, “be a man” and “did they send me daughters/when I asked for sons?” These two

phrases suggest that men are equated with toughness and strength, while daughters/women are

weak. Disney perhaps included these lyrics to link the movie to the gender norms of the time

period. They serve as a reminder that Mulan was an exception to the way women traditionally

acted.

The song ‘A Girl Worth Fighting For’ highlights the way women were seen solely as

prized homemakers; the entire song details the characteristics each man wants in a woman, from

a girl who will “marvel at strength” to a skilled cook. When Mulan suggests a girl who “always

speaks her mind,” she is shot down and dismissed. Women were not to have an opinion for

themselves; their greatest strengths lay in how well they could take care of the home.

Although the historical details surrounding the tale of Mulan—invasions, political

turmoil—hold some probability, the idea of a woman coming home a war hero is not be

considered accurate. Gender equality of this magnitude did not actually occur. Instead, the story

of Mulan, originating from the ballad, was crafted to be an idealized version of an empowered,

selfless woman, not to be taken literally. The character of Mulan has been an inspiration to

young Chinese girls for defying typical gender roles since her origins, which has kept her story

historically relevant for centuries. Disney’s portrayal of her is a prime example of that.
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Works Cited

"Daily life of women." Ancient Societies - China. Sqwirk, 7 Nov. 2014. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

"The First Imperial Period." Imperial Eras. UMD, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

"Hua Mulan." Hua Mulan. Princeton University, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

LeJeune, Elisabetta. "Mu-Lan, the Chinese Woman Warrior." . Southeastern University, n.d.

Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

Leung, Maureen. "Chinese History the Era of Disunity." Asia, Africa, and Mideast History.

Humanities 360, 17 Sept. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

Reese, Lyn. "Gender Difference in History: Women in China and Japan." Women in World

History. N.p., Mar. 2003. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.