I M Butterfly Stereotypes
Stereotypes. Dominance. Fantasy.
These three words I found were especially significant throughout the text. These three words alone effectively represent and capture the key events which took place throughout the play.
Stereotypes
From the start, M. Butterfly, demonstrated several different stereotypes and misconceptions which held a large significance throughout the script. Author David Henry Hwang, revealed racial stereotypes, stereotypes on white western culture, while also touching on stereotypes held relating to specific gender roles. René Gallimard comes to China holding onto the preconceived notion that Oriental women are exotic, submissive, and self-sacrificing. As stated by Song, “the west has sort of an international rape mentality towards the east” (62). Immediately, Gallimard clings to Liling Song and hopes for “her” to fulfill his sexual desires. This perfectly represents the strong stereotype held regarding western imperialism and culture."The west thinks …show more content…
of itself as masculine-big guns, big industry,big money-so the east is feminine- weak delicate, poor…” (p. 62). Gallimard is looked at as aggressive, controlling, and powerful. He is rewarded for cheating on his wife back at home and for taking advantage of the submissive oriental women. The stereotypes regarding gender roles are extremely prominent throughout the script. The affair Gallimard had with the exchange student, Renée, wasn’t what he was expecting. The aggressive sexuality Renée exerted was too much and too powerful for Gallimard- it was far too masculine for his liking and went against the norm of submissive femininity (p. 43).
These stereotypes play strongly into the next word I chose: Dominance.
Dominance
Because of the stereotypes that were presented within the play, the debate of dominance becomes increasingly relevant. Who is most dominant? In different moments throughout the script, different types of dominance come into play: male dominance, female dominance, the dominance held by white males over oriental “females”, and the dominance that an oriental “female” holds over a white male. At the very start to the play, it seems as though Gallimard has an issue exerting his dominance over all genders. When he travels to China, he gets this strong desire to prove his power. Because of the submissive stereotypes held regarding oriental women this was the perfect opportunity for him to exhibit his dominance. For some reason, westerners are assumed to believe, “her mouth says no, but her eyes say yes… The east, deep down, wants to be dominated-because a woman can’t think for herself” (p. 62). At the embassy, Gallimard is rewarded with an increased status because of his affair with Song. This allows Gallimard to showcase his dominance over the other males in the group. However, just when Gallimard thinks he is at the top- we find out that Song is actually a male Communist agent, manipulating him to extract information about the Vietnam War. At this moment we see the 180degree switch of dominance- an extreme role reversal. Who dominates now?
Fantasy
Due to Gallimard’s unsatisfactory sexual experiences with Western women, he clings to the idea of Song and without truly knowing- he believes has the “perfect woman”, the perfect fantasy.
Gallimard is so wrapped up in this idea that he never actually sees whats right in front of him. This desire to dominate a submissive oriental women blinds him from reality. Gallimard never turned on the lights to see this “perfect woman”. The darkness (literally and figuratively) clouded his vision. The idea of loving an oriental was so exotic that he fell in love with the illusion alone. Gallimard’s fantasy was shattered when he discovered Songs identity wasn't what he thought. Song states, “when he finally met his fantasy ‘woman’, he wanted more than anything to believe that she was, in fact, a woman” (p. 62). Gallimard was unable to accept the fact that “she” was actually a “he”. He ends up killing himself when he realized he was manipulated for all this time and didn't truly hold this dominance once
believed.
Kayla Schmalz
These three words I found were especially significant throughout the text. These three words alone effectively represent and capture the key events which took place throughout the play.
Stereotypes
From the start, M. Butterfly, demonstrated several different stereotypes and misconceptions which held a large significance throughout the script. Author David Henry Hwang, revealed racial stereotypes, stereotypes on white western culture, while also touching on stereotypes held relating to specific gender roles. René Gallimard comes to China holding onto the preconceived notion that Oriental women are exotic, submissive, and self-sacrificing. As stated by Song, “the west has sort of an international rape mentality towards the east” (62). Immediately, Gallimard clings to Liling Song and hopes for “her” to fulfill his sexual desires. This perfectly represents the strong stereotype held regarding western imperialism and culture."The west thinks …show more content…
of itself as masculine-big guns, big industry,big money-so the east is feminine- weak delicate, poor…” (p. 62). Gallimard is looked at as aggressive, controlling, and powerful. He is rewarded for cheating on his wife back at home and for taking advantage of the submissive oriental women. The stereotypes regarding gender roles are extremely prominent throughout the script. The affair Gallimard had with the exchange student, Renée, wasn’t what he was expecting. The aggressive sexuality Renée exerted was too much and too powerful for Gallimard- it was far too masculine for his liking and went against the norm of submissive femininity (p. 43).
These stereotypes play strongly into the next word I chose: Dominance.
Dominance
Because of the stereotypes that were presented within the play, the debate of dominance becomes increasingly relevant. Who is most dominant? In different moments throughout the script, different types of dominance come into play: male dominance, female dominance, the dominance held by white males over oriental “females”, and the dominance that an oriental “female” holds over a white male. At the very start to the play, it seems as though Gallimard has an issue exerting his dominance over all genders. When he travels to China, he gets this strong desire to prove his power. Because of the submissive stereotypes held regarding oriental women this was the perfect opportunity for him to exhibit his dominance. For some reason, westerners are assumed to believe, “her mouth says no, but her eyes say yes… The east, deep down, wants to be dominated-because a woman can’t think for herself” (p. 62). At the embassy, Gallimard is rewarded with an increased status because of his affair with Song. This allows Gallimard to showcase his dominance over the other males in the group. However, just when Gallimard thinks he is at the top- we find out that Song is actually a male Communist agent, manipulating him to extract information about the Vietnam War. At this moment we see the 180degree switch of dominance- an extreme role reversal. Who dominates now?
Fantasy
Due to Gallimard’s unsatisfactory sexual experiences with Western women, he clings to the idea of Song and without truly knowing- he believes has the “perfect woman”, the perfect fantasy.
Gallimard is so wrapped up in this idea that he never actually sees whats right in front of him. This desire to dominate a submissive oriental women blinds him from reality. Gallimard never turned on the lights to see this “perfect woman”. The darkness (literally and figuratively) clouded his vision. The idea of loving an oriental was so exotic that he fell in love with the illusion alone. Gallimard’s fantasy was shattered when he discovered Songs identity wasn't what he thought. Song states, “when he finally met his fantasy ‘woman’, he wanted more than anything to believe that she was, in fact, a woman” (p. 62). Gallimard was unable to accept the fact that “she” was actually a “he”. He ends up killing himself when he realized he was manipulated for all this time and didn't truly hold this dominance once
believed.
Kayla Schmalz