Unveiling the Enigmatic Wings of Gender in M Butterfly: A Journey of Discovery and Deception!

Hey there fellow readers! 

Today we’re diving headfirst into the world of David Henry Hwang’s masterpiece, M Butterfly (1989), which transcends conventional gender norms, flutters through notions of identity and leaves us questioning ideas surrounding gender. 

The year 2023 has brought about much discussion and debate surrounding the idea of gender; issues of equality and acceptance of transgender and non-binary people have become a major topic in the headlines and created large waves in the social media realm. It therefore seems appropriate to consider what you and others think about the construction of gender, and how its representations, specifically in M Butterfly, may be relevant in today’s society! 

In this play, we meet René Gallimard, a French diplomat, who unwittingly finds himself ensnared in a web of love, deception, and gender-bending antics. Our protagonist, like many hapless souls before him, falls head over heels for the enchanting Song Liling, a Chinese opera singer. But…. what sets this story apart from the typical romantic fare is the mind-bending twist that Song is, in fact, not the woman Gallimard believes her to be, but a MAN! To read a more in depth summary click here.....

As the layers of deception and confusion peel away, we are treated to a thought-provoking exploration of gender roles and stereotypes – more specifically, the “gender performativity” (1990) theory of Judith Butler! 

In her work, Butler sets out to challenge “essentialist” understandings of gender: in other words, assumptions that masculinity and femininity are naturally or biologically given, that masculinity should be performed by male bodies and femininity by female bodies. Instead, Butler suggests that gender is not biological, but “performative” – a statement that brings about that which it states. They argue that we reproduce gender not only through repeated ways of speaking, but also of doing. 

We dress in certain ways, do certain exercises at the gym, use particular body language, visit particular kinds of medical specialists, and so on. Through such repetitions, gender is reinforced, layer by layer, until it seems inescapable. 

Gender as Performance: 

Because when Gallimard meets Song she is performing Madame Butterfly and is wearing a dress, Gallimard presumes Song is a woman. However, when Song invites Gallimard to watch her at a Peking Opera, Gallimard should have known that Song is a man. Men playing women is common to Eastern theatre tradition, such as the Chinese opera, Japanese Kabuki, and Indonesian Ludruk. 

Yet Gallimard is not only ignorant of this fact due to his Western viewpoint but also because of his fantasy of the dominant Western man and submissive Oriental woman, which he projects onto his relationship with Song. Song is very much aware of this when she points out to Gallimard, "“It’s one of your favourite fantasies, isn’t it? the submissive Oriental woman and the cruel white man!" Song exposes Gallimard's misogynistic and racial viewpoint because he is Western, and the idea that Eastern women are submissive and powerless to the pull of a Western man is completely a Western invention. This ties in with the work of Edward Said (1978), whereby Europe, in attempting to construct its superior and authoritative self-image, created the 'Orient' as the ultimate "other" - passive, inferior etc. 

Thus, Gallimard's failure in realising that Song is a man is due to his Western point of view - he is ignorant to Eastern theatre conditions, and to assure his masculine dominant superiority, Gallimard needs Song to be the feminine, submissive, inferior Other. Can we really feel sorry for Gallimard, or is his own stupidity and ignorance to blame?

According to Butler, gender is not something we inherently possess but rather something we actively perform and embody. Therefore, M. Butterfly challenges this notion of fixed gender identity by showcasing the performance of gender through Song Liling's portrayal of an opera singer. Song’s ability to convincingly perform as a woman in the eyes of Gallimard highlights the performative nature of gender and the ways in which it can be constructed and deconstructed (or perhaps just Gallimard's idiocy?!). 

Power Dynamics and Gender Identity: 

Butler also emphasizes the role of power in the performance of gender. In M. Butterfly, power dynamics are intertwined with gender performance. This can be supported by the notion of woman as “the other” was proposed by Simone de Beauvoir - “He is the Subject; he is the Absolute – she is the Other”. Women are associated with all the feminine qualities, such as being passive and submissive. The notion of man being the subject and woman the ‘other’ finds its application in the relationship between Gallimard and Song, at least from Gallimard’s point of view. He sets the standard for a perfect woman and imposes it on Song (like many other asshole guys out there). 

Gallimard says, on his relationship with Song while they are in China: “She would always have prepared a light snack and then, ever so delicately, and only if I agreed, she would start to pleasure me”. Here (although many of us would tell Gallimard to get stuffed), it suggests that Gallimard is the Subject who decides what to do, and Song must follow. Even when Song wants to please Gallimard, it should be after he gives his consent, with him saying "only if I agreed". 

Beauvoir also laid the foundation which distinguished sex from gender when she said, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”. This suggests that a woman gradually acquires her gender, a key aspect of her identity, through a socially constructed experience. In this sense, gender identity is a social construct. As Gallimard’s lover, Song is always portrayed occupying domestic sphere. Song is the one who serves Gallimard: pouring his tea, serving his food, and pleasing him. On the other hand, Gallimard is constantly portrayed in public sphere when he is not with Song, enjoying his career improvement in the French embassy. 

However, subversion of this theory exists in the fact that Song, through her performative acts, gains power and control over Rene, who initially holds the dominant position in their relationship... FINALLY! 

The play ends with Gallimard in his prison cell committing suicide, with Song standing as a man in Armani slacks and smoking a cigarette, depicting the change in this power dynamic. It is now Gallimard who embodies feminist qualities and Song acting 'masculine', in a position of power over Gallimard. This power shift subverts Said's Orientalism theory and also demonstrates Butler's argument that gender is not only performed but also shaped by power dynamics - which can be challenged and reconfigured through performative acts.                                                                                                                                                   

So, by aligning with Butler's theory of gender performativity and de Beauvoir’s feminist theory, M. Butterfly reinforces the idea that gender is a social construct constantly enacted and influenced by power dynamics, cultural contexts, and individual performances. The play serves as a powerful exploration of the performative nature of gender, inviting us readers to critically examine and question the societal norms and assumptions surrounding gender identities! 

Catch you in next weeks post! 

SR :)