Will Mulan Make a Feminist Out of You?
The Disney movie Mulan (1998) has long been respected for producing the only well known Disney princess who did not need a man to rescue her from her distress. Unlike other Disney princesses, whom many young girls grow up idealizing, she is the hero in her own story, and saves China by showing that she is as capable as any man when she disguises herself as a man and takes her injured father’s place in the army, knowing that the punishment if she is caught will be execution. While this plot itself is much more feminist oriented than its other Disney counterparts, the movie is still filled with sexist messages that Mulan must prove wrong, which could be sending mixed messages to a young audience.
When the movie begins, Mulan must meet her mother, grandmother, and another group of women whose job it is to help her get ready to meet her matchmaker. It is extremely important that Mulan make a good impression on the matchmaker, because if she does not do so, she will not be matches with a good husband, and she will …show more content…
Mulan is the hero in her own story, and gains the affection of a man through her bravery and intelligence, not her beauty. Not only does the movie break the gender stereotype that the woman is the one being saved by the man, but also that a man can fall in love with a woman for more than just her beauty. These are all great messages that should be sent to young girls today, especially since they will grow up in a society where they are bombarded with messages telling them that they are worth little more than their appearance. Unfortunately, many of these same messages are embedded in the movie, giving very mixed messages, especially to a primarily young audience who does not yet have the ability to pick on more mature themes of irony and sarcasm. As a result of this, Mulan (1998) is receiving much more credit than is
The Disney movie Mulan (1998) has long been respected for producing the only well known Disney princess who did not need a man to rescue her from her distress. Unlike other Disney princesses, whom many young girls grow up idealizing, she is the hero in her own story, and saves China by showing that she is as capable as any man when she disguises herself as a man and takes her injured father’s place in the army, knowing that the punishment if she is caught will be execution. While this plot itself is much more feminist oriented than its other Disney counterparts, the movie is still filled with sexist messages that Mulan must prove wrong, which could be sending mixed messages to a young audience.
When the movie begins, Mulan must meet her mother, grandmother, and another group of women whose job it is to help her get ready to meet her matchmaker. It is extremely important that Mulan make a good impression on the matchmaker, because if she does not do so, she will not be matches with a good husband, and she will …show more content…
Mulan is the hero in her own story, and gains the affection of a man through her bravery and intelligence, not her beauty. Not only does the movie break the gender stereotype that the woman is the one being saved by the man, but also that a man can fall in love with a woman for more than just her beauty. These are all great messages that should be sent to young girls today, especially since they will grow up in a society where they are bombarded with messages telling them that they are worth little more than their appearance. Unfortunately, many of these same messages are embedded in the movie, giving very mixed messages, especially to a primarily young audience who does not yet have the ability to pick on more mature themes of irony and sarcasm. As a result of this, Mulan (1998) is receiving much more credit than is