M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang
**Overview of "M. Butterfly" by David Henry Hwang**
"M. Butterfly," a play by David Henry Hwang, is a fictionalized narrative inspired by a real-life affair between a French diplomat and a Chinese opera singer, revealing complex themes of identity, illusion, and cultural stereotypes. The story revolves around Rene Gallimard, who is enamored with Song Liling, believing her to be the epitome of the submissive Oriental woman. Hwang critiques Western imperialism and the simplistic views of Asian culture through Gallimard's obsession, which distorts his perception of reality.
As the plot unfolds, it becomes evident that Liling is a man and a Communist spy, leading to a dramatic reversal of their roles. This revelation challenges Gallimard's fantasies and forces him to confront the repercussions of his misguided beliefs. The play explores the impact of cultural misconceptions and the dangers of living through stereotypes, ultimately illustrating how such illusions can lead to personal and professional ruin. "M. Butterfly" invites audiences to reflect on issues of gender, sexuality, and the complexities of East-West relationships, making it a significant work in contemporary theater.
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Subject Terms
M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang
First produced: 1988, at the National Theater, Washington, D.C.
First published: 1988
The Work
M. Butterfly is David Henry Hwang’s fictionalized account of a real French diplomat who carried on an affair with a Chinese opera singer for twenty years, only to discover she was actually a man. Hwang’s compelling drama examines themes of sexual and racial stereotyping, Western imperialism, the role illusion plays in perceptions, and the ability for one person to truly know another.
M. Butterfly contrasts Rene Gallimard with Pinkerton in Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly (produced, 1904; published, 1935). Gallimard sees himself as awkward, clumsy at love, but somehow being blessed with the utter devotion of Song Liling, a beautiful Oriental woman. Hwang uses the word “Oriental” to convey an exotic, imperialistic view of the East. Gallimard becomes so absorbed with his sexist perception of Asian women that it distorts his thinking. He tests Liling’s devotion by neglecting and humiliating her, ultimately forcing her to admit she is his “Butterfly,” a character she has publicly denounced.
Unknown to Gallimard, Liling is a Communist agent, manipulating him to extract information about the Vietnam War. At the embassy Gallimard finds increased status because of his Oriental affair. When his analysis of East-West relations, based entirely on his self delusions, prove wrong, Gallimard is demoted and returned to France. His usefulness spent, Liling is forced to endure hard labor, an official embarrassment because “there are no homosexuals in China.” Eventually, the Communists send Liling to France to reestablish his affair with Gallimard. When Gallimard is caught and tried for espionage, it is publicly revealed that Liling is a man. Liling now changes to men’s clothing, effecting a complete role-reversal between Liling and Gallimard. Liling becomes the dominant masculine figure while Gallimard becomes the submissive feminine figure. Preferring fantasy to reality, Gallimard becomes “Butterfly,” donning Liling’s wig and kimono, choosing an honorable death over a dishonorable life.
M. Butterfly demonstrates the dangers inherent in living a life satisfied with shallow stereotypes and misconceptions. Gallimard’s singular desire for a submissive Oriental woman was fulfilled only in his mind. It blinded him to every truth about his mistress, refusing even to accept the truth about Liling until he stood naked before him. It first cost him his career, then his wife, then his dignity, then his lover, and finally his life. Even when he is confronted by the truth, Gallimard can only respond that he has “known, and been loved by, the perfect woman.”
Sources for Further Study
DiGaetani, John Lewis. “M. Butterfly: An Interview with David Henry Hwang.” The Drama Review: A Journal of Performance Studies 33, no. 3 (Fall, 1989): 141-153.
Eng, David L. “In the Shadows of a Diva: Committing Homosexuality in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly.” Amerasia Journal 20, no. 1 (1994): 93-116.
Hwang, David Henry. Afterword of M. Butterfly. New York: New American Library, 1988.
Hwang, David Henry. Introduction to “F.O.B.” and Other Plays. New York: New American Library, 1990.
Kehde, Suzanne. “Engendering the Imperial Subject: The (De)Construction of (Western) Masculinity in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly and Graham Greene’s The Quiet American.” In Fictions of Masculinity: Crossing Cultures, Crossing Sexualities, edited by Peter F. Murphy. New York: New York University Press, 1994.
Lye, Colleen. “M. Butterfly and the Rhetoric of Antiessentialism: Minority Discourse in an International Frame.” In The Ethnic Canon: Histories, Institutions, and Interventions, edited by David Palumbo-Liu. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1995.
Morris, Rosalind. “M. Butterfly: Transvestism and Cultural Cross Dressing in the Critique of Empire.” In Gender and Culture in Literature and Film East and West: Issues of Perception and Interpretation, edited by Nitaya Masavisut. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1994.
Remen, Kathryn. “The Theatre of Punishment: David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly and Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish.” Modern Drama 37, no. 3 (Fall, 1994): 391-400.
Shimakawa, Karen. “‘Who’s to Say?’ Or, Making Space for Gender and Ethnicity in M. Butterfly.” Theatre Journal 45 (October, 1993): 349-361.
Skloot, Robert. “Breaking the Butterfly: The Politics of David Henry Hwang.” Modern Drama 33, no. 1 (March, 1990): 59-66.
Street, Douglas. David Henry Hwang. Boise, Idaho: Boise State University Press, 1989.