Essay Questions

When does the action take place?

Considering how the events are described in the film, the action took place most likely in 400BC, when the South part of China was under attack. The emperor who ruled the area at that time and his advisors decided to recruit and to demand the enlistment of young men from the civilian population. These men were taken to training camps and then sent on battlefields, to try and stop the advancement of the invaders. The country was in a desperate situation, entire villages and cities being ransacked and destroyed in the process.

Who was Mulan's father?

Not many things are said about Mulan's father and he appears briefly only in the first few minutes of the film. From the way he talks and the armor he owns, it is obvious he was at some time in his past a soldier, probably even a commander. He is liked and respected by the rest of the men in the community where he lives, thus hinting his social and maybe political status. Hua Hu is the head of his family and as such he refuses to stand down and not go on the battlefield even if he is old and no longer capable of fighting. His determination to fight shows how he is an honorable man for whom the safety of his country is more important than anything else.

Who were the people against whom Mulan fought?

The tribe against who the main characters fought against is referred to here as the Rouran. They were most likely nomadic people, who lived in harsh conditions and who had no fertile lands of their own. Because of this, they would travel along the borders occupied by other rulers and steal food, clothes and everything else they deemed necessary. When the action in the film takes place, the Rouran leaders decided it was time they stopped their nomadic ways and decided to conquer more fertile lands. This was a major threat for the Emperors whose territories were in grave danger.