An Analysis on Hwang’s M. Butterfly

Introduction

The play M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang’s has been consistently reviewed by literary critics as a play that is full of symbolic acts, metaphors and fantasy that combine to form a parallel affair between two men in a society that is dominated by heterosexuals.  The play also compares the dominancy between East and West and the traits of the two stereotypes from both cultures. The play begins by introducing Gallimard who works under the umbrella of China embassy (Hwang 35).  Gallimard falls in love with a beautiful oriental woman after becoming so absorbed with the Asian women. Gallimard never knew that Song his wife is a communist agent who cheats on him so that she can extract information from about the ongoing war of Vietnam. The book also deeply addresses the issue of stereotypes and Orientals. There are two different stereotypes oriental female and the western male. The western male is known to be deeply masculine which makes him to be very powerful and dominates in the society. On the other hand, the oriental female is known to be both exotic and eager to be dominated. When the western male’s strength is threatened by the western women, these men find safety in the oriental woman (Hwang 155). Gallimard completely believes in stereotypes whereby he chooses a Chinese woman to be his mistress because he felt that he was sexually inferior in the west society. In real sense, Gallimard thinks that he has all knowledge about the East and West but Song the oriental woman knows it better. Galliard’s view of stereotypes was confirmed when he saw the masculinity of his wife Helga and other women such as Renee. This belief led him throughout the play until he comes to know the truth. Hwang  is indeed a master in creating a gender ambiguity as it shall be seen throughout this analysis. The play communicates a message about a homosexual setup in a heterosexual community as it shall be seen throughout this analysis

Hwang begins by introducing Gallimard who falls in love with a young oriental woman. They engage in a romantic relationship after which he disappears for three years leaving his lover with a child they had recently borne. The young lady soon commits suicide due to disappointment leaving behind a motherless child (Hwang, 12).  Gallimard justifies her death by saying “Death with honor/ Is better than life/ Life with dishonor,” (Hwang 17).  This statement confirms that it is honorable to be in a heterosexual engagement. This quote can be correlated Gallimard’s death later in the play when he realizes that he has been a homosexual which to him is a dishonor.  At this point, Hwang’s setting of the play articulates the stand of the western belief which is contrary to that of the eastern customs and they way of life. He also takes this chance to evaluate sexual dominance between the two civilized cultures. The eastern culture is dominated by heterosexual couples whereby people have married those of the opposite sex. This is [not the case in the Western culture because a good number of couples comprised people of the same gender. This ambiguity and uncertainty is hence sensitive and so Hwang has clearly distinguished the two stereotypes.

After the death of the young oriental, Gallimard comes to love Song, an Asian woman and latter givers her the name butterfly because of the role she was playing in the Asian theater. Gallimard gets infatuated with this woman hence showing her all his love. He uttered very powerful love messages like “All ecstatic with love, the heavens are filled with laughter,” (Hwang 33). He told her beautiful love messages that show indeed he loved her. This affair came to last for twenty years before Gallimard’s realization of the truth. At this point, Gallimard’s conduct towards Song his dear wife gives a background knowledge that the audience ought to grasp. Gallimard sexual demand from Song brings the issue of modesty which is a condition Song puts. Gallimard insists on seeing her nakedness but Song is unwilling to let her nakedness to be seen. This leaves the sexual identity unverified. Soon after the context, Song pronounces her pregnancy whereby Gallimard decides to marry her. This relationship continues until both are arrested by the French government after they were caught for espionage.

The critical problem of this play is the people’s perception of whether Gallimard was a homosexual. Furthermore the study and analysis of this play narrows its points to a political realm that has a limited view point to the readers. With regard to these concerns, Hwang has been interviewed severally so that he can clearly explain various aspects of the stereotypes and matters concerning heterosexuality. In 1989, Hwang was interviewed by Don Digaetani concerning Gallimard being homosexual; he gave an open ended question. He goes on to discuss the issue of homosexual which was cropping up in various cultures majorly those of the East (Hwang & Digaetani, 145). It is interesting that the play was released during the time when homosexuality was becoming accepted in the society. It is during 1980s that it was done openly but no one could come up to question this because it was a controversial topic. From the development of the play Hwang has selected song and Gallimard as the main characters for a purpose of condemning gays that was cropping in.

Going deep into Gallimard and Song’s inner sexuality perspectives, the wise audience would definitely know that both are gays. Their mode of presentation also communicates a symbolic message about the larger sphere of the western countries and their sexual extent. For instance, Song’s makeup while making the presentation is stark white which represents the beauty standards of the west. It also conveys the theme of homosexuality despite him hiding this identity by masking himself with a white heterosexual body (Eng 139).

Focusing on Gallimard’s homosexual nature, Hwang has used several symbols that prove that he is a gay. When was taken to the small prison cell, a symbolic significant deductions can be made. The small prison symbolizes Gallimard’s rejection from his home place after being known to be a homosexual. The act of imprisonment represents how the homosexual acts and thoughts were locked out of the heterosexual world. The theme of coldness is also developed throughout the play. Song takes of Gallimard being cold sexually during their first romantic experience which they had had. Song tells Gallimard this, “but.... The truth is.... No... Are you cold... Yes. Cold,” (Hwang 34).  This represents the moral coldness that comes out of shame of being a homosexual in a heterosexual world. This coldness drives Gallimard in a pit of guilt and blemish making him to commit suicide.

Hwang’s theme of comparison between the Western and Eastern cultures shows the privilege of being in a heterosexual world. Many people both the audience fail to see the importance of the two main characters of the play, Gallimard and Song. The struggle between the two comes as a result of being in a homosexual setup in a society that is dominated by heterosexual couples. Hwang develops this section of the play to show the difficult lives homosexuals undergo and more particularly the western countries. This tends to discourage those who wish to be homosexual to stick in heterosexuality. Morals standards can also be deducted from the play whereby homosexuality is as a source of immorality which led the two gays into prison.

Hwang has perfectly used the aspect of dominance, masculinity and submissiveness of the two cultures in an amazing way. At the beginning of the play, he talks of dominance and them being powerful which is literally true because the Western dominance resulted to the colonization of the Eastern countries. Similarly in the sexual world, the heterosexual dominance has squeezed the homosexuality by making it proving it wrong and unacceptable by the community. The kind of death that both gays died was a representation of how low and unacceptable the homosexuals should be in the community. Hwang’s message to the society is not to let homosexuals dominate because it would bring massive destruction on morals of the society. The play is an outstanding one and many should draw lessons from it.

Work cited

Eng, David L. Racial Castration: Managing Masculinity in Asian America. Durham [N.C.]: Duke, 2001. Print.

Glover, David, and Cora Kaplan . Genders. 2nd. New York: Routledge, 2009. Print.

Hwang, David Henry. M. Butterfly. New York, N.Y.: New American Library, 1989. Print.

Hwang, David, and John Digaetani. ‘M Butterfly’: An Interview with David Henry