An Analysis of David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly: Themes and Context

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of David Henry Hwang's play, M. Butterfly, examining its themes, context, and structure. The analysis explores the play's origins, drawing inspiration from a short story, an opera (Madame Butterfly), and a New York Times article. The essay delves into key themes such as Orientalism, postcolonial studies, gender identity, and self-deception, discussing how the play questions the construction of reality, identity, and the power dynamics between the East and West. It examines characters like Gallimard and Song, their relationships, and how the play parallels colonialism with Western domination. The essay also considers the play's structure, the significance of Gallimard's self-deception, and the questioning of gender roles and sexual identity. By analyzing the play's themes and characters, the essay offers insights into the play's critique of cultural imperialism and the construction of identity.

Origins of Play: 3 separate texts inspire M. Butterfly (1988)-- Short story, Opera, NY Times article
true event inspires a short story by John Luther Long
short story inspires Opera by Giacommo Puccini, Madame Butterfly (1904)
Act 1- Pinkerton in Japan, marries Butterfly (15), she converts to Christianity
Act 2- Pinkerton leaves for 3 years, Butterfly thinks he will return, she is renounced by Buddhist priest
and family
Act 3- Pinkerton returns with new American wife, Kate, to take son; Butterfly commits ritual seppuku
NY Times, May 11, 1980
Bernard Boursicot- 20 year affair with a man he thought was a woman, had child as well
Boursicot’s self-deception puzzled him; he faced a subconscious self-deception
Some specific theories to consider: Edward Said's Orientalism, Postcolonial studies (and Gender
Studies)
According to these theories and Said, a divide exists between the East and West;
the divide is created, not existing naturally
superiority of west over east
colonialism “others” the “orient”
the Orient is not an actual place, but an imagined place that is all of the “East” according to the
“West”
This orientalism, has created a false, constructed, understanding of Asians and Asian culture.
the operative term here is created because impressions of the East are made up.
A view of Asians and Asian culture is created that is overgeneralized through a western ethnocentric
lens.
this view of Asians and Asia in general is racialized and gender biased
colonial view,
male dominated view
exoticizing of women and the East
Setting of the Play:

China’s cultural revolution (1966-76)
Marxism
Mao Zedong
1966-76
violence, abuse, displacement, economic damage
decrease in bourgeois art
increase in art that reflected benefits of a socialist society
Peking Opera flourishes during revolution
Gallimard’s seppuku (scene from the film version)
M Butterfly 9:19 (Links to an external site.)
M Butterfly 9:19
seppuku: hara-kiri |?här? ?ki(?)r?, ?har?-, ?har? ?kar?|nounritual suicide by disembowelment with a
sword, formerly practiced in Japan by samurai as an honorable alternative to disgrace or execution.
Gallimard and Song’s first conversation (scene from the theater performance) *note the farcical tone
of the language as opposed to the dramatic tone in the movie
(Links to an external site.)
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=040OgeqmIY8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=040OgeqmIY8</a>
Themes:
The play’s structure (how it is constructed and arranged) questions the construction of reality; it is
non-linear as it starts at the end: Gallimard in a prison cell.
“Only a man can play the part of an ideal woman" (Act 3, scene 1)
Rene’s relationship with his wife and with his mistress, Renee, are not fulfilling his masculinity
He is fooled because he wants to believe a lie... he wants to be fooled
the parallel form between (1) the sexual exploitation of both characters and (2) the cultural
imperialism of both cultures
this power struggle between culture and gender is depicted by Gallimard and Song
The questioning of identity as a construction ? reality vs. fantasy (in all facets of Gallimard’s identity)
It is possible to shed light on this issue by examining the causes of Gallimard’s self-deception
the examples of sexual exploitation in the text can function as a political analogy for imperialism

How does the play parallel colonialism with western domination of 3rd world countries?
Asia (women) is the play thing of the West (men)
this idea is made absurd by the play and causes the reader to question the construction of gender
roles and of the roles occupied by political forces
How does the play suggest that everything is a farce, all identities are made up, created, socially
constructed?
A comparison of Gallimard’s role and Song’s role leads to objectified myths; they are not who/what
they really are, yet the identity they project buys them each a false sense of acceptance.
gender relationships and gender roles are brought into question, alongside --and independent of--
ethnicity
Additional Questions to Consider as you Read:
What is the point of the story?
What is the significance of Gallimard’s self-deception?
Why is Gallimard fooled?
How is sexual identity called into question?
How is identity questioned in the play?
How does the gender mirror/parallel politics?
How are the qualities Gallimard desires in Song related to his own qualities?
What does an analysis of the title suggest? (as a redefining of the opera’s title from Madame
Butterfly to the abbreviation M. Butterfly)
Is Song a real person to Gallimard? What does Song represent?