1

Thomas Noochan

Dr. Tabitha Clark

ENGW1111

07 April 2022

Mulan Comparison

A revival of an ancient Chinese legend, Mulan (1998) proved to be an influential and

well-known movie for its storyline that steers away from Disney’s popular movie archetypes,

such as a search for a true love story. The films were the culmination of genuine research,

experience, and careful attention to detail as story designers and artists traveled to China to draw

inspiration from distinct features such as geography, human features, culture, and artwork. The

portrayal of the “Ballad of Mulan,” the origin story set in the Northern Wei dynasty in 386-534

AD, in an animated form was positively regarded for its “visually and emotionally” complex,

“strong female character lead” (Badal). Directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, Mulan

(1998) was praised for its effective use of music and humor – such as through Mushu, voiced by

Eddie Murphy – and was extremely successful, grossing over $300 million worldwide (“Mulan

(1998)”). The live-action Mulan (2020), directed by Niki Caro and featured actors including Jet

Li and Jason Scott Lee, received mixed reviews (“Mulan (2020)”). Although Mulan (2020)

deviates from the plot of Mulan (1998), the film was still praised as a “wholly reimagined”

adaptation that concentrated on Mulan’s character growth (Burr). Between the 1998 and 2020

versions of Mulan, there are shifts in how gender roles are depicted and changes in the types of

conflict that the characters face.

Set in a patriarchal society, Mulan (1998) is a story that follows Mulan in her journey as

she risks her life in a world with gender norms and stereotypes to protect her father. The staging
 2

in the first scene with Mulan depicts her in her room and preparing to meet the matchmaker

(Bancroft & Cook, 1998). Here, the first impression of Mulan is a teenage girl who is aware and

conforming to her role as a female in this society. Later, when Mulan prepares to leave for

training, the scene is set in a dark room with intense music that further escalates the dramatic and

seemingly flashy scene of Mulan cutting her hair with her father’s sword. Although this

reinforces Mulan’s commitment to protect her father, the movie validates the association

between long hair and femininity. In the song, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” the lyrics contain

connotations that affirm gender stereotypes. The song is played during the training arc of the

movie, and thereby the title – what it means to make a man – creates implications of how

strength and power is exclusive to men. The lyrics, “Did they send me daughters, when I asked

for sons?” characterizes women as fragile as Li Shang viewed his men as initially weak. When

Mulan is injured and later exposed as a woman, she is staged in a position of vulnerability,

kneeling in the snow, and covering herself with a thin blanket in the cold. The way Mulan is

portrayed throughout the film demonstrates how her drive is not rooted in feminism, rather, it is

rooted in her devotion to her father. Thereby, although she is empowered to protect her father,

she struggles to empower herself to stand against prejudice.

The primary conflict in Mulan (1998) is man vs man and man vs society as Mulan is

faced with constant discrimination against her gender. During an argument with her father, he

condemns Mulan for talking back and how “it is time [she] learned [her place].” Here, she is

forced to submit to her father and recognize that her only responsibility is to marry to bring

honor to her family, not to reason her father out of the expectations placed upon him. Later,

during the parade in the Imperial City, Li Shang condescendingly ignores Mulan as she

“[doesn’t] belong here.” The word “here” is ambiguous as Li Shang could have meant that
 3

Mulan does not belong in the regiment, or she does not belong in the ongoing ceremony that

honored the “heroes of China.” In either case, Li Shang explicitly excludes Mulan despite her

efforts in the war and saving his and his troop’s lives. During the critical moment when Mulan

desperately tries to warn the men about the Hun’s survival, Mulan asks, “You said you’d trust

Ping. Why is Mulan any different,” which Li Shang ignores. Mulan encounters this animosity

from society in general as well. Despite trying to “find someone who will believe [her],” every

man in the crowd is visibly annoyed through their body language, shaking her off and turning

away from her. In all these conflict encounters, Mulan is constantly disregarded, and her voice is

never heard. The fact that she is even silenced by her own father indicates how these patriarchal

values are imbued in society to suppress women.

Mulan (2020) sought to change the ways women were depicted in the original by

bringing more attention to Mulan and her character growth, rather than solely her devotion to her

father. The first scene of the movie stages Mulan practicing martial arts in an open field (Caro,

2020). Completely contrasting the bedroom and matchmaker scene in Mulan (1998), Mulan is

portrayed as a fighter, not an ordinary teenage girl. As she prepares to leave for the camp, Mulan

does not cut her hair unlike in the original which is symbolic of Mulan preserving her true self.

Mulan (2020) introduces Xianniang, a new prominent female character who is a key element in

Mulan’s character development. After her defeat against Xianniang, the music transitions from

somber to triumphant as Mulan returns to battle as Mulan, not her alias Hua Jun. She changes

attire, leaving behind her armor and letting her hair down. The scriptwriters redefined Mulan’s

character to be empowered and allowed her to cultivate her gift in battle as she reveals her

identity on her own terms, whereas in Mulan (1998), she was exposed from an injury. The new

Mulan also changes how men are depicted. When Mulan warns the men about Bori Khan’s
 4

ambush in the Imperial City, Honghui is the one to ask, “You would believe Hua Jun. Why do

you not believe Hua Mulan?” Unlike in the original, where Mulan says the analogous line, the

film portrays a man believing in Mulan, feeling empathic and treating her as an equal. In

addition, Honghui admits, “She’s braver than any man here, and she’s the best warrior amongst

us.” In essence, the film challenges the stereotypical traits of men in Mulan (1998) by illustrating

men as more vulnerable and more humble.

Although man vs man conflicts exist in Mulan (2020), the film pays closer attention to

man vs self conflicts as Mulan struggles internally with her lies and fake identity. After Mulan

accidentally uses her skills in a fight with Honghui, she scolds herself, “You idiot. Now everyone

sees it. You must hide your chi.” These early scenes of Mulan suppressing herself forms the

basis of her character development. Much of Mulan’s growth and internal conflict is not only

driven by the virtue of truth, but through Xianniang as well. In their first fight, Xianniang

inspires the defeated Mulan when she warns her of how her “deceit poisons [her] chi.” Her

words force Mulan to decide on whether she dies as Hua Jun, or survive as Mulan. In a later

encounter, Xianniang dwells on her “life of exile” as she “was crushed” by the people around her

when showed her power. Unlike in the original where there was very little discussion between

characters on the reality that women face, Xianniang makes her experience explicitly clear:

powerful women who did not conform to the socially accepted female role were labeled as

witches and alienated from society. Through her dialogue with Xianniang, Mulan is given space

to reflect on what she is fighting for. In Mulan (1998), she is primarily driven by her devotion to

her father, but in Mulan (2020), there is a slight shift towards Mulan fighting for herself,

allowing herself to freely use her gift as a warrior and be who she truly is.
 5

Unlike many other Disney remakes, the Mulan franchise deviates from the storyline in

the 2020 version to explore Mulan’s character. The themes of gender and conflict in these

movies are interconnected to create character development, and the differing ways that these

themes are portrayed contribute to the kind of person that Mulan grows to be. In Mulan (1998),

Mulan was the girl who protected her father and saved China. But in Mulan (2020), the audience

also sees Mulan grow internally and learn what she values in the impactful scenes when she is

internally conflicted. By revisiting the original film and remodeling Mulan into a more dynamic

character, the franchise proves to continue its cultural impact. Thereby, the franchise could

possibly review the sequel, Mulan II, and create another live-action adaptation and explore

various other themes such as gender roles pertaining to marriage. These movies are not just a

teaching of “be who you are,” but it also shows the impact of allowing and opening a dialogue

between people with unique experiences, because one can empower others by sharing their

stories.
 6

Works Cited

Badal, Sharon. “Mulan’s Journey.” Film Journal International (Archive: 1996-2000), vol. 101,

no. 6, 1998, pp 14-16. ProQuest, https://link.ezproxy.neu.edu/login?url=https://www-

proquest-com.ezproxy.neu.edu/magazines/mulans-journey/docview/1286123008/se-

2?accountid=12826.

Bancroft, Tony and Cook, Barry, director. Mulan. Walt Disney Pictures, 1998.

Burr, Ty. “The Live-Action ‘Mulan,’ Streaming on Disney+, Improves on the Animated

Origianl.” Boston Globe (Online), 2020. ProQuest,

https://link.ezproxy.neu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-

com.ezproxy.neu.edu/newspapers/live-action-mulan-streaming-on-disney-

improves/docview/2439617536/se-2?accountid=12826.

Caro, Niki, director. Mulan. Walt Disney Pictures, 2020.

“Mulan (1998).” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120762/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

“Mulan (2020).” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4566758/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.