The story of Disney’s warrior princess is inspired by the Chinese poem ‘The Ballad of Hua Mulan’
Making part of the list of Disney classics, ‘Mulan’ was released in 1998 to present the story of a Chinese girl who becomes a hero by disguising herself as a man to fight in the war, in order to preserve the life of her father, who already could not withstand another battle due to his age and health conditions.
The story is an adaptation of the Chinese folk poem known as ‘The Ballad of Hua Mulan’, which, when leaving the pages and entering the big screens of cinemas, gained new elements and had information altered so that it could work. With that in mind, we have gathered below the main differences between the animation and the original myth of the warrior princess. Check out!
No brothers?
In animation, mulan she is an only child, having only an adorable dog named little brother to keep her company at home and amuse her days. Unlike this, in the poem the girl has a younger brother who is too young to fight in the war.
If this information had been included in the feature, it might have made more sense for her to have been easily accepted into the battalion, as she could use her brother’s name, instead of introducing herself as Ping, a name that even caused suspicion by Shang’s adviser. , Chi-Fu, who said he had no idea that Zhou had had a child.
Mulan’s Abilities
In the pages, Mulan was taught by being a father to fight and use a bow and arrow, something he idealized and always observed with great pride. In the Disney film, the character gained the same skills during training to become a soldier.
no romance
In animation, the romance between Mulan, and the highest ranking leader of the Imperial Army, Li Shang is one of the highlights of the film. However, in the original legend, the girl has no love interest.
war and more war
The time Mulan remains at war is very different in the two works. This is because, in the Disney production, she remains a soldier for a few months, while in the poem she plays an important role in battle for 12 years.
Goodbye Mushu
Can you imagine the animation without the presence of the talking dragon, Mushu? Because, in ‘The Ballad of Hua Mulan’, there is no inclusion of any talking animal that could help the girl, as well as there are no ancestral ghosts that seem to have magical powers. Quite different, right?
The way Mulan is discovered
In the original version of Chinese folklore, Hua Mulan is not discovered while contributing as a soldier to the army, in fact, she reveals her real identity only after returning home. Already in the work that premiered in theaters, the girl has the lie revealed after suffering an injury in battle.
the closure
In Disney’s animation, upon returning from the war, Mulan is hailed as a true hero, being greeted by the imperial city, receiving support from everyone she loves, and a party entitled to the presence of her ancestors. Meanwhile, the original story is much simpler, as she is offered a position in his Imperial Guard, but declines to return home.
Source: Recreio
