Your Name

Ms. O’Keefe

A.P. Literature & Composition

May 18, 2018

A Critical Look At Disney’s Mulan

The name Disney has been an ever present force within our society since the early 20s, capturing the hearts and

minds of millions who view their animated works. The stories that the Disney Corporation creates cover a large span of

themes and lessons for those of all ages to enjoy, making them as popular as they are now. While the characters and

settings may vary greatly from one film to another, some elements within their storytelling and character development

seem to reappear throughout their library of films, creating tropes that are associated with their movies. The Disney

Corporation, as old as it is, acknowledges that such tropes are present in their work and tries to bring some innovation to

their newer entries. Such effort can be seen in the film “Mulan”, a film set within ancient China. Various elements within

this film show that the writers have tried to challenge the tropes established by the older films, as well as go along with

some of them.

As stated earlier, this film is set within ancient China during the time of war. Right off the bat, the writers and

directors of the movie have made it be distinguishable among the previous films by having it take place within the an

Eastern country. The setting of their previous works, such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, appear to have European

influences within them, given that idea that Europe is well known for the sheer amount of kingdoms that have arisen and

fell within the continent. The setting also stands out from the sources of their previous movies, as the storylines of the

previous to movies and others act as retellings of old European fairy tales, using them as the base of their films to work off

of. The inspiration for this film comes from a historical figure written within an ancient Chinese poem. The difference in

this film’s origin to the other films aids in separating the film from the European influence of its predecessors, entering

into new cultural backgrounds.

A major shift within this film from their previous works is the role of the female lead within the film. Unlike most

of their past movies, the female protagonist is not a princess. Mulan is the daughter of a respected family due in part to her

father’s involvement in a past war. Previous female protagonist have been daughters to kings or leaders within their
societies, shaping their personalities and motivations as to why they do the things they do. Mulan’s origins give her a bit

more leeway in the way that she may act, allowing her act as more of an individual than other women in her society. She

is not bounded by the same weight of responsibility as a woman of such noble class, yet she still retains a sense of

responsibility to uphold that was unique to her movie at the time. The movie focuses on the role of women within ancient

Chinese culture, questioning the overall misogynistic nature of society through the actions of its female lead. As she is

from a respectable family and lives within a society that emphasises the importance of honor, Mulan is told that she must

uphold the honor of her family and change the way she acts to do so. Her outspoken, independent nature fails to line up

with the quiet, submissive expectation of woman in her society, thus painting her as a dishonorable woman to her family.

While she may feel shame for acting the way that she does, Mulan continues to be herself and prove that a woman could

perform on par or exceed the performance of a man on the battlefield. The burden of societal expectations and the

negative image she has for herself at the start of the movie is similar to the burdens that previous female leads have faced

in their works, acting as a throughline that ties this film to the older ones.

Lastly, some aspects of the film appear to go in line with some of set tropes of their previous works intentionally,

possibly wanting to keep the tradition alive. On of these tropes is referred to as the “I Want” song, where the protagonist

of the film sings about what they would like to acquire or what they would like to pursue, aiding in the establishment of

their character. Mulan does this in the beginning of the film, where she sings about how she wishes that her outward

image could reflect the person she truly is inside, being free to be herself. Similar to films like “The Little Mermaid”, the

song aids in presenting the central conflict of the character in a quick yet enjoyable manor. Another trope that appears

within the film is the obligatory comic-relief side character. Such characters are close to the protagonist and offer

moments of comedic-relief to the audience by they way they act and speak. This film offers a handful of characters that fit

this role, whether it be the combination of Mushu and the lucky cricket or the trio​ of ​Yao, Ling and Chien-Po, there is

almost always a moment where these characters provide humor for the audience to enjoy. Characters fitting this trope

have been around since their first theatrical film “Snow White”, acting in a similar manner to enhance the film. Details

such as these are what make this film feel like it belongs with the brand name, providing consistency in the level of

quality that goes into manufacturing a Disney movie.

In conclusion, some of the aspects and tropes within the movie “Mulan” allows the movie to be unique in regards

to other films produced by Disney, showing that they are willing to experiment on their successful formula to enhance the
quality of their films and give them their own identity. Likewise, the other elements within it continue to carry on the

traditions established by its predecessors and doesn’t stray too far off from what would be considered a Disney movie.

This film serves as an important piece within the transition from an old era of Disney’s films into the newer one, showing

that they still have many options available to them to make more unique movies while honoring their roots through

celebrated traditions.