Comparing Love In Twelfth Night And M. Butterfly

William Shakespeare's Twelfth night and David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly are both plays that challenge heteronormative expectations and force the readers to abstain from believing that love is only correct amongst the male and female gender. In Fact, through the characters actions we witness that once someone is in love, it blinds them from their reality forcing them to neglect clear signs of “unusual/queer” behavior. Both plays share a homologous theme that: love makes people crazy and makes them do crazy things.

Most of the actors featured in twelfth night challenge the viewer's understanding of gender. In fact, a lot of the characteristics endowed by the actors fall within a fine line between whether they identify as male or female. The
However, Hwang attempts to debunk the misconceptions that there is a mathematical/strategic, definite formula to love, or how love should be. Instead, the play forces the viewers to recognize love as a complicated matter, and what one believes love to be is distinct to the next. Even after Gallimard finds out Song to be a male, he refuses to believe the news. How could he fall in love with a man? Gallimard accepted the truth only after Liling agreed to stand naked before him. During 1980 the circumstances were different, especially in China. During act two, Chin reminds Song “Don’t forget: there is no homosexuality in China!” In no way would it be acceptable for Gallimard to continue his affair with Song, despite the love he felt for him/her because it was thought to be unlawful. Therefore, Gallimard preferred to accept his reality and die with his true butterfly (his idealistic imaginary women). It is unclear whether Gallimard was truly in love with Song or the idea of her. Perhaps the reason he refused to believe that Song was a male was because not only would it demolish his fantasy of true love, but also perhaps cause him to question his sexual attraction. Therefore, Gallimard felt better off dying with “so called pride” and with his true butterfly, then be humiliated and demeaned for falling in love with a
Men were expected to only take interest in females and vice versa. Hence, writers, poets, and artists began expressing their grief/oppression through their work. It was an abstract method to get their message across without being overt about the issue. Individuals who identified as gay, lesbian, queer or felt a part of the LGBTQ community understood the legitimate denotation behind the author's work. Similar to the way ethnic/cultural groups have their own language to understand one another, the LGBTQ community is a group that formulated their unique language. In regards to overcoming similar impediments they understand one another and the oppression “people like them” are facing. To this day our society distinguishes individuals and subcategories people based on their sexual preference. Unlike the early 17 and mid 19 hundred, people nowadays are more understanding of the issue, thanks to the 1960 through 1970 liberation movement. However, homosexuals continue to this day to be secluded despite forty years of struggling for their