Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Mulan - Discuss the representation of the genders in both films

Both films are set in Ancient China and back then, China was a male dominant society. Although both films have different genres, they are both quiet similar in what the message is. Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, both American directed Mulan, so you know the film is in English with Chinese context. Mulan is more aimed towards a younger audience as it is a Disney film, and therefore it is in cartoon animation. CTHD is aimed more towards an older audience. The director, Ang Lee concentrates on the martial art imagery in this film and not as much around the main point I am going to concentrate on, the representation of genders in both films.

In the film Mulan, Mulan is excepted into the male dominant army when she dresses like a male to get into the army so her father doesn’t have to go.

This shows courage by Mulan, as in China females are just meant to sit back and there place is in the kitchen, Mulan is very out-going and isn’t the stereo-typical Chinese female. Mulan is a lot like the central protagonist in CTHD, Jen. They have a lot of similarities in that Jen is engaged to get married and doesn’t want to, she is very jealous of Shu Lien as she have a lot of freedom as she is not married, therefore Jen chooses Shu Lien to be her sister, this brings diversity to the story line as the main two parts are taking up by female positions. Although, some similarities between Jen and Mulan aren’t so obvious. The supernatural content in both films are obvious, but not so as a difference. Mulan has a little dragon named Mushu to accompany her on her mission, but this is mainly for the younger audience viewing as Mushu is a very comical character in the film and Jen in CTHD has a marvellous Chinese martial arts technique named Wudan. Wudan involves flying, so this is an obvious attempt of defying the laws of nature.

In a key scene in CTHD, Jen and Shu Lien are talking about the ways of the warrior; they are also talking about Jen’s proposed marriage. You can tell this is a key scene as there is no non-diagetic sound in the scene, only diagetic. Jen is also pictured in the centre of the screen, implying that she is the character of emphasis in this particular scene.

Jen also adds that getting married is ‘the most important step in a woman’s life’, but obviously Jen desperately wants to be a free spirit, in defies the will of her father.

Mulan is very similarly linked to this scene as she also doesn’t want to get married and would like to be a free spirit, but she doesn’t want to get married for the sake of not being married. Eventually, Mulan conforms stereotype and marries the Captain, but the reluctancy at the beginning of the film is glaringly obvious. I think she gets married at the end of the film as this is a Disney film, and the audience viewing (mainly children) need a happy ending at the end of the film. CTHD is not that similar to the ending of Mulan as the main male protagonist in the film, Li Mu Bai dies bringing a whole dampening on the mood of the film.

Although Jen and Shu Lien are pronounced as sisters, Jen betrays Shu Liens trust and steals the Green Destiny sword. This is a big similarity with Mulan as she does the same to her father; she betrays his trust and takes his army gear.

Another big female part in CTHD is Jade Fox, a notorious villain hell bent on killing Li Mu Bai. There is one key scene in which Fox says probably one of the most significant lines in the whole film;

‘Your master underestimated a woman, and for that you will pay.’

For me, this is a very powerful line as women are not just delicate little flowers, but they also have a misdeamnor about them. Mulan and CTHD portray this to the extent that in the end the women are the hero’s in the story.

Mulan and Jen are both very rebellious and independent. The way that Jen represents herself in the film portrays this as she presents herself like two different people in the film. She starts in the film like the stereotypical Chinese female and adapts to an independent unit. The man that Jen is tied up to be with is very powerful as he is the air to the throne in China, but Jen rather marry the man that she loves, this proves that Jen is very mentally powerful. Mulan on the other hand never wanted to be the stereotypical Chinese woman but as I said earlier, she conforms stereotype and marries the Captain.

Presumptions used in both films are used very frequently. When Jen enters the tavern and all the men challenge her to a fight they presume that she is man as she has the Green Destiny sword and she knows of the martial arts style, Wudan. This is important as Li Mu Bai is pronounced the greatest fighter in history and for the Green Destiny sword to be possession of a woman seems highly unusual. There is a similar scene in Mulan as when she aims the last cannon at the mountain instead of the main enemy, this surprises the enemy and the main enemy presumes it is man. This also challenges stereotype as the presumptions used are inflicting on the female gender, as it is not expected.