Sure she broke the law but she also saved China! That more than makes up for her dishonesty and would certainly boost her family's reputation (instead of degrading it as was implied). They were even going to execute her had she not saved Shang's life. What the hell?
shareUhm, that's kind of what happens to women in traditional patriarchal societies when they dare to step out of place. Look at Joan of Arc. She was put to death for wearing men's clothing after how valiantly and well she fought.
shareJoan of Arc was executed by the English because she was rebelling against England.
That's quite different from completely eliminating English invaders then getting betrayed by your own country just because you're a woman.
No, legally speaking, Joan of Arc was executed by the ecclesiastical court (not the English secular court) for wearing men's clothing, which she had abjured as part of her previous conviction and then took up wearing again. The court found her guilty of 'returning to heresy' by putting her mens clothing back on (which she insisted was to keep her from getting raped by her guards).
Of COURSE there was more going on than that. However, the mere fact that the legal basis for executing her was for heresy by wearing mens clothing is still pretty telling of how society worked at the time.
Exactly, there was a lot more going on! Mulan was not a political threat to China and fought for the Emperor, so why was she shunned and condemned after apparently saving the country?
Probably just a case of PIS.
The Chinese emperor summed it up nicely enough.
In reality woman get murdered for much less. To bring shame/disgrace on somebody or something is reason enough. Depending on the emotional state of the involved or executing powers.
When I learned Social Studies 8, the textbook says Joan got burned at stake in accusation of witchcraft.
But Gandalf! I don't want to be a Hobbit~~
Watching it on ABC Family now, and the only explanation is Shi Fu saying "you know the law." The rest of them didn't agree but they couldn't go against it, except when Shang decided to.
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If you create a thread titled, "He/she looks like..." you are officially disturbed.
I'm thinking impersonating a soldier and enlisting in the military, which was more than likely against the law for women, was why she was exiled or could've executed. Let's remember this was China in like 220 AD. They're not going to be that progressive when it comes to women.
"A half-finished book is, after all, a half-finished love affair."
This is confirmed in the movie.
When Mulan runs away, her mother says they have to get her back or she'll be killed (in the fighting). Her father replies: "If I reveal her, she will be." The only reason Mulan isn't executed when her secret is revealed is because Shang owes her his life.
Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.
And, Mushu says to Mulan "If the army finds out you're a girl, the penalty is death"
shareThe main point of this was to avoid causing a plot hole of why her father would not have gone after her. If they didn't come up with the "penalty of death" plot device, there would have been nothing preventing her father from just showing up at the training grounds and being like yup, that's actually my daughter, I'm the one who is supposed to be here.
But to address why they shunned her, yes it was because she broke the law, but I think it was pretty clear they made a point of Shang saying how he trusts her, but then shortly thereafter he finds out she was deceiving him the whole time. His feelings were hurt ;)
But then of course at the end of the movie all is redeemed.
perhaps you should have changed your headline, op? no offense.
shareBy law she should've been put to death. He showed her tremendous mercy by not killing her.
Proud member of AACAR (Americans Against Crappy American Remakes)
But she saved China!
Disobeying the law to save an entire country more than makes up for it.
In our society, yes. But in that culture it would be considered a huge insult that a woman did what she did.
Luckily the emperor was progressive enough to see her value, but in a culture that deep-rooted in certain gender roles, it wasn't so simple to just be happy about what she did.
Proud member of AACAR (Americans Against Crappy American Remakes)
If she hadn't done anything heroic and had been caught while still training it would seem believable. But... she saved an entire country from getting conquered. That's huge for ANY society and it considerably outweigh her "treachery". I'd expect most leaders and officials would deeply respect and reward such a person in any time period.
shareWe're talking about an culture in an era where law and tradition were everything. It doesn't have to make sense why. In fact, most of the time "crime" and punishments were very unfair.
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf
A culture which would be destroyed if not for said woman.
shareThere were periods in Chinese history where it was literally illegal to NOT beat your wife. Husbands were required to physically beat their own spouses. So it's not unbelievable that women would be killed for dressing as men and joining the military.
Women also used to be killed if they were found on sailing ships.
I suggest you look up Legalism, the official philosophy of the Qin Dynasty, and the unofficial philosophy of most of the emperors of China.
shareBecause it was more merciful than killing her and even though she did save China (she hadn't saved it by this point but they thought she did), she was a still a woman and I don't think that meant she could continue to move on with them.
They also didn't really exile her, I don't think. Exiling would of meant taking her before the Emperor and him saying, she would have to leave China in my opinion. She was still free to go as she pleased, she just couldn't go with them.
EDIT: That and she did get her recognition when she really did defeat the Hun army.
No reason.
shareExile was a reprieve, she was a thoroughly trained soldier who could - and did - survive on the mountain. If she had wanted, she could have headed home at this point as well. Although she was in disgrace, Shang does spare her life.
So, the whole thing was about honour and trust. By lying to the army, and by extension dishonouring her father by stopping him do his duty, Mulan had been dishonourable and the penalty was death. Shang commutes this to exile because she has just saved China. You can see he feels uneasy about this, however - it means he will take the credit for Mulan's victory.
That's not the point. You don't just break the law and then do something good to make it not count. No, it's not right, but it's the law. Think about it. Most people who break the law will NOT save their country. If you give one person a break, everyone will use that to say that they deserve one too.
Also, she's lucky they didn't make her stab her own guts out.
"Most people who break the law will NOT save their country."
That's exactly why she would be an exception.
It was the Law at the time and place. No one is saying it was right or wrong, every law system has major flaws. Just because she saved China doesn't mean how she went about it cancels breaking the law.
Its like saying for example a person murders someone but then you later find out they also saved a person, does this excuse the person for their murder? I don't think so.