M. Butterfly Themes and Controversies

East vs. West The most obvious theme is the interaction between the Western world (Europe and the United States) with the Eastern world (Asia), or "Occidental" versus "Oriental" cultures. “The West, having had the advantage of being the colonial power and of being the more powerful of the two over the past couple of hundred years, has an attitude of condescension toward the East. But the East has played up to that to its short-term advantage without thinking of the long-term ill effects that reinforcing those racial stereotypes causes. I think both parties are equally guilty" (DiGaetani 200).

Opposition of the Sexes Men and women are not only placed in opposition with each other but also with heterosexuals and homosexuals. The self-conscious way the drama navigates this terrain is in itself a thematic concern common to Asian American literature. As Chu points out, "some appreciate the play's sharp criticism of how men treat Asian women; others are understandably concerned that the play may perpetuate both the Butterfly stereotype and that of the 'clever weakling,' the image of Asian men as clever, devious, and effeminate" (477).

Desire and Identity Lee observes, "for each of the characters, human desire and the formation of selfhood are rooted in stereotype" (109). By assuming roles placed on them, characters are emboldened to act in ways they wouldn't otherwise. However, the limitations of such roles are also explored and subverted, making identity more fluid than stereotypes would permit. Hwang explains, "In a lot of my plays people become other people. It has a lot to do with the nature-versus-nurture question. To what degree do you have an inherited identity, and to what degree is your personality shaped by the influences and environment around you?" (94).

Honor and Service Set in a world of diplomacy and espionage, characters adhere to the notion of serving a higher cause - even as personal motivations behind these causes are exposed to the audience. As Kondo observes, "By linking so-called individual identity to global politics, nationalism, and imperialism, Hwang makes us see the cross-cutting and mutually constitutive interplay of these forces on all levels" (48). Under such conditions, service to some higher ideal is often redefined as well: what behavior is considered honorable, especially in the service of one's country, evolves as the story progresses.

Questions: In Act I, Scene 5 Gallimard says that he was “not handsome, nor brave, nor powerful,” and he conjures up the image of a pinup girl from a magazine. What does this scene have to do with the major themes of the play?

Questions: In act II, scene 3, Gallimard gives Toulon some political advice about Vietnam. And as Toulon tells him later, he is almost comically wrong in everything he says. Given that Gallimard and other Westerners see the Orient as feminine and the West as masculine, how have gender issues distorted his political thinking?

Questions: Compare Song and Renee, Gallimard’s partner in his “extra-extramarital” affair. Notice that in Act II, scene 6, when Gallimard wants comforting after Toulon makes him responsible for the embassy’s advice, he goes to Butterfly instead of Renee: – “I started for Renee’s. But no, that was all I needed. A schoolgirl who would question the role of the penis in modern society. What I wanted was revenge. A vessel to contain my humiliation. I headed for Butterfly’s. Does Butterfly question the role of the penis in modern society?

Questions: Just before he kills himself in the last scene, Gallimard dresses and makes up as Butterfly. He says, “My name is Rene Gallimard -- also known as Madame Butterfly.” What is the point of this final switch of identities?

Critical Comments: P – Hwang P – Rich P. 1460, 64 – Cody P – Chin et al.