Madame Butterfly by David Henry Hwang, Essay Example

How Rene Gallimard lived with Song Lling for so many years without knowing he was not a woman is one of the principal enigmas in Hwang’s Madame Butterfly. While readers are well aware of the of the fact that Song is a man, Gallimard erroneously believes or intentionally pretends that he does not notice the signs of the upcoming tragedy. The explanation for this dramatic paradox is remarkably easy: Gallimard’s failure to identify and recognize a man in Song Lling reflects the ongoing cultural confusion between the East and West. Gallimard’s long-term relationships with an Asian male reflect the Eastern people’s reluctance to accept Asian people as normal.

Song himself realizes the seriousness of the intimacy situation between him and Gallimard. In Act Three, Song says: “As soon as a Western man comes into contact with the East – he’s already confused. The West has a sort of international rape mentality towards the East… The West thinks of itself as masculine […] so the East is feminine” (Hwang). Simply stated, the existing confusion between Gallimard and Lling is the extension of Gallimard’s desire to treat Song as an inferior member of their relationship. For Gallimard, Song is equally submissive and feminine. It is due to Song’s Asian origin that Gallimard accepts him as a woman, without questioning his gender status. It is also due to Song’s Asian descent that Gallimard can feel superior over Song and impose his sexual demands on him. Deep in his soul, Gallimard does know the truth about Song. Yet, he refuses to admit it, fearing of a romantic, social and cultural defeat. This gender confusion looks like a well-designed play, and Gallimard plays his part pretty well. Unfortunately, his role in this gender play does not help to resolve but, on the contrary, reinforces the cultural gap between the East and West.

Works Cited

Hwang, D.H. Madame Butterfly. Penguin, 1989.