木兰形象从《木兰辞》到迪士尼动画《木兰》的改变-文学学士毕业论文

The Change of Mulan’s Image from The Ballad of Mulan to the Disney Cartoon Film Mulan

why Mulan’ real status was not revealed for the war years. “’The he-hare’s feet go hop and skip, the she-hare’s eyes are muddled and fuddled. Two hares running side by side close to the ground, how can they tell if I am he or she.’”(傅汉思,2010:134-135).

This ballad shows that Mulan joined the army for her father not for herself. She desires to be a good daughter to her parents as well as a good man to her nation. That is Mulan’s image in The Ballad of Mulan.

2.2 Mulan’s image in the Disney cartoon film Mulan

The Disney cartoon film Mulan is neither Chinese style nor American style. It is a mixed product which has traditional Chinese elements and American elements. Mulan’s image in this cartoon film turns into a girl who is somehow familiar with and strange to Chinese.

The major theme changed from “filial piety” to “self-identity”. Mulan’s image in this cartoon film turned into a brave and clever girl risking her life to save her elder sick father. This cartoon film expresses freedom and equality that belong to the values of Americans.

At the beginning of this cartoon film, Mulan is a girl who desired to bring her family honor. She deeply loved her parents and her grandmother. When the Huns invade China, every strong man is called to arms. Mulan’s father is no exception. But her father has an old wound leg and cannot walk properly. At the same time, Mulan failed in the blind date. She decided to take an opportunity. So she decided to fight in her father’s place without her father’s permission. At the midnight, she stole her father’s wartime gown, leaving home soundlessly. At that time, her ancestors disapproved her decision but sent a little dragon, Mushu to aid her unavoidably. Mulan’s father never thought that her daughter will fight in his place. So, Mulan’s kungfu was very poor at the beginning. But with her perseverance, she became a good soldier. On the way to the battle, Mulan’s real status was revealed. She was abandoned on the way. But she found that the Huns survived and wanted to kill the emperor. So she decided to risk everything for saving her country. With her force and her intelligence, she saved the emperor and protected her country.

In this cartoon film, Mulan has a perfect love at the end, which does not exist in the ballad. From the above, we can find that Mulan’s image changed. She became a resister against feudal society and pursued identity. Her action is for proving herself. That is different from the ballad and shows the values of Americans.

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The Change of Mulan’s Image from The Ballad of Mulan to the Disney Cartoon Film Mulan

3. Major Changes Made in Mulan’s Image in the Disney Cartoon Film Mulan

In order to have a great economic success, there are many changes in the Disney cartoon film Mulan, Disney Company changed Mulan’s image, such as her appearance, language, body language, character, thinking, addition of love and new elements melted.

3.1 Change in appearance

At the beginning of the background of The Ballad of Mulan, we can image that Mulan is an elegant girl who has beautiful appearance. Disney Company did not design Mulan to have beautiful appearance like Snowwhite and Cinderella. They used traditional Chinese art, Chinese monochromes, as reference to create Mulan’s appearance (白水, 2003:10). Making Mulan’s image mild and strong, they created brand-new image of Mulan that has Asian feature. In this cartoon film, Mulan has a flat nose and long black hair. In addition, Mulan’s girl dressing is so smooth (孙立军, 2005:92).

In ancient China, people’s hair was never allowed to be cut and should be tied. But in this cartoon film, Mulan’s hair was not tied as the modern female style. She has her hair cut when she joined the army. In the ballad, there are few descriptions about Mulan’s male dressing. But in this cartoon film, Mulan is made as a strong and fine-looking man in the army. Moreover, in ancient China, girls’ dressing must be modest. But, at the beginning of this cartoon film, Mulan worn sun-top, which completely belongs to the Western characteristic.

3.2 Change in language

Although The Ballad of Mulan is very short, it is a complete story. It shapes a wonderful traditional Chinese woman. But it is not enough for an 80-minute cartoon film (孙立军,2005:90). So, there are many spaces for creation. Dialogue is a major creation. Without it, the film will become a dumb show. In the ballad, Mulan has few words. But in the Disney cartoon film Mulan, Mulan has many dialogues, even monolog. In addition, songs are the major feature in Disney cartoon, this cartoon film is no exception. For example, the songs that began after the blind date: “look at me, I will never to pass a perfect bride or a perfect daughter.” These lyrics show what Mulan was thinking about. But in the ballad, there is no word for Mulan to express herself. In this cartoon film, it shows with a song. Another example: Mulan rushed to prevent her father from taking the draft posters and cried “father, you can’t go. Please, sir, my father has already fought bravely…” Her crying shows that she was worrying about her father. As we known, unmarried girl did not allow appearing to strangers. Mulan just told to her mother and she did not rush to stop her father. But in this cartoon film, she did.

3.3 Change in body language

In ancient China, female has no right to embrace other male except her father, brother and her husband. Chinese etiquette is totally different from American. At the end of the Disney cartoon film Mulan, when the emperor was bowing to Mulan, Mulan hugged him in her arm.

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The Change of Mulan’s Image from The Ballad of Mulan to the Disney Cartoon Film Mulan

This action was not allowed and that was an impolite action in ancient China. But it is common in America. There is another example: Mulan broke the cup to stop her father reporting to the camp. This action is also irreverent in ancient China. For showing Mulan’s attitude, Disney Company used this action to emphasize it. Another example: Chinese female action is elegant. But in this cartoon film, Mulan’s action does not like traditional Chinese female action. Body language also includes Mulan’s kungfu. Although there is no description about her kungfu in the ballad, many kinds of performance show that Mulan has good kungfu. But at the beginning of this cartoon film, Mulan’s kungfu is very poor and her actions are clumsy.

3.4 Change in character

In ancient China, women had lower status than men have. In The Ballad of Mulan, we can find that Mulan is a filial, intelligent, elegant and brave girl. She got rid of that traditional Chinese value. She fought against the Huns and protected her father. Her encouragement of fighting expresses her courage; and her action for her elder father expresses her filial piety. In the 10-year hardship training and war, she prevented herself from revealing with unbelievable will. To be different, in the Disney cartoon film Mulan, Mulan’s character has been changed. Disney Company made Mulan as a next-door girl (孙立军, 2005:92).In her life, she failed in blind date and her status revealed on the way to the battle. Life experiences make her outgoing, daring, agile and traitorous. It is contrary to the ballad. To some extent, her character is rude. She likes a casual girl who always walked without shoes at home, feeding animal without earnest. In one word, her character is also the reason why she fought in her father’s place, why she desired to prove herself.

3.5 Change in thinking

In The Ballad of Mulan, Mulan has secrets in her mind. Then she told her mother what she was worrying about. But it is a burden for Mulan who is seventeen-year-old (张莉, 2007:54). We can find that Mulan’s action is passive. But in the Disney cartoon film Mulan, there is no scene about that, instead, there is a scene about her action to stop her father from reporting to the camp. Disney Company changed Mulan’s action from passive to initiative (孙立军, 2005:92).On the other hand, there is a blind date at the beginning of this cartoon film. Before the blind date, Mulan always said that she has to bring her family honor, and she desired to be proud of her family. On the way to the battle, Mulan’s status was revealed. At that time, she found that her real thinking is to prove herself. In addition, Mulan has her parents’ permission to leave home in the ballad. But in this cartoon film, she stole her father’s wartime gown, soundlessly, leaving home that without notice. Firstly, we thought that she did it for her father. But obvious evidence demonstrates the other in her monolog. This monologue shows that she just wanted to take this opportunity to show her capability to her father, to her family and her ancestors. “I should never have left home. Maybe I did not go for my father, maybe what I really wanted was to prove I could do things right.” We can find that Mulan want to prove that she is worthy through any way.

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The Change of Mulan’s Image from The Ballad of Mulan to the Disney Cartoon Film Mulan

3.6 Addition of love

Love is an outstanding feature in Disney film. They add a love story in the Disney cartoon film Mulan (孙立军, 2005:94). In the ballad, it presents the kinship between her parents and her sister and brother. “When Father and Mother hear Daughter is coming, they go outside the wall to meet her leaning on each other. When Elder Sister hears Younger Sister is coming, she fixes her rouge, facing the door. When Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming, he whets the knife, quick quick, for pig and sheep.”(傅汉思, 2010:72). But in the Disney cartoon film Mulan, Mulan has no sister and brother, much less kinship between her elder sister and her little brother. In order to attract more eye balls, there is an addition of love. They created a man, Li Shang. Comparing with Mulan, Li Shang has handsome face, strong body and good brain. As Cinderella and her prince, Snowwhite and her prince who rode a white horse, love between Mulan and Li Shang made more shining point than kinship with her family for this cartoon film.

3.7 Modern elements melted in the cartoon film Mulan

The Ballad of Mulan was adapted as the Disney cartoon film Mulan and spread over the whole world, which is already an innovation. They gave not only an addition of love but also new modern elements. Disney Company always emphasizes the supporting actor, such as fairies and companions. In this cartoon film, there are three imagined supporting actors, Mushu, luck cricket and the dark horse. All of them are created with personification. Mushu is a followed dragon of Mulan’s ancestors. He is always angry, speaking fast, and his character likes Mulan’s. He followed Mulan to prove that he is worthy. Luck cricket is brought from Mulan’s grandmother. Although, he always made some troubles for Mulan, he is also a good companion. He gave encouragement for Mulan when she was in trouble. Black horse is a strong horse which never left Mulan. Black horse can feel Mulan’s feeling. There is an example: he gave a rug to Mulan when her status was revealed. His facial expressions are rich, such as angry, happy and earnest. Disney Company made use of these three imagined supporting actors to add some comedic elements, such as funny expressions of Mushu, luck cricket dipping bathe and the military orders made by Mushu and luck cricket.

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