Loango 1

Yeltsin Loango

English 102

Professor Batty

October 19, 2017

Coming out of the Cocoon

The play ; M Butterfly, by Henry David Hwang, talks about the complicated relationship

of two men. A french diplomat Rene fell in love with, what he thought was a woman named

Song. Later in the play we realize that Song is a chinese spy, and a man. Sent on a mission to

gain any information that is of any possible value to the Chinese government. Many critics have

applied the queer theory to analyze the play for what it truly is. Queer theory is the study of the

LGBTQ+ community in general. The sexuality of the characters are questioned as the play goes

on. Gender identity, sexual orientation, and homosexual suicide are three main components that

can be analyzed through the queer theory lens.

Rene Gallimard is identified as a dynamic character. As we read the play , we see the

perspective of Gallimard and the way he views woman. The term western male,is referred to

him often times in the book by Song, because of the way he presents and treats women. His

gender identity is very masculine as he introduced. The idea behind the western man, is very

demanding,masculine, gets what he wants. Gallimard says it himself ,... fears that the western

man who catches a butterfly will pierce its heart with a needle, then questions himself if that is

who he is to become.(act 1- scene 11) Keep in mind this idea went towards every man at this

time no matter how handsome or ugly one can be. Mark is introduced into the story, in a very

interesting and unique way. I believe that mark is not credited the amount he deserves for the
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role he plays. Which is that although hes a minor character, hes the one that brings the

powerful western ideal man to Gallimard. Gallimard not being the greatest looking guy, mark

pushes him to get with woman no matter the lack of respect. Mark says you dont have to ask!

Thats the beauty-dont you see? They dont have to say yes(act1-scene4). Perfect example is

presented here to see the empowerment of a man over a female idea. Many influences around us

come to play a very important factor on how we act and respond to circumstances.

Although many may think sexual orientation may be similar to gender identity, there is

something distinct about each. Sexual orientation is who you like and have strong emotions

towards, while gender identity is more of what you were born as - male or female. The

orientation of Song is of a woman while in reality its a man. Ironically the case is that Song

being an actor in a play, comes to be an actor outside of the play. Although as a woman she falls

in love with Gallimard, the question that rises up is, if she also loved him as a man. If so this

makes Song a gay character. The only thing that could be holding him back would be culture, in

the sense that Chinese were anti-homosexual. Songs character does everything to satisfy

Gallimard as we learn in the play, something interesting is there was no limit for her to stop the

act she was putting up. In todays time of life we notice that many homosexuals tend to hide their

identity and keep it personal, because they arent ready for what people will say about them. The

act of coming out, involves the person to [firstly accept themselves and understand who they

want to be], and then come out.(psychiatrictimes) Song maybe never accepted it himself, and

told himself he was on a mission and it was all to help his fellow chinese, when truly he didn't

want to accept the idea that he has gone against his culture.
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Gallimard after 20 years comes to realized that he has been sleeping with another man.

He is sent to court and put in prison for his action. In prison where he tells us all this story he

ends it by killing himself at the end. This point in specifically can be interpreted as homosexual

suicide. Comparing both the book and the movie we understand the same ending with a twist that

may seem minor but a huge impact on society. That case being that yes he does kill himself in

both endings, but in the book version we understand that he is alone with Song and kills himself.

While in the movie all the other prisoners in the jail are listening and watching what he's doing.

Now why is this important to understand? Reason being is that the audience gives much

more of an important meaning in real life. The idea of committing suicide for being gay,bi, or

lesbian. The audience can present all the people from different views in life, and Gallimard

killing himself can present those people that have came out of the closet but couldnt withstand

others opinions on it. Statics show that in the LGBT population, more than 75% of people in a

community setting reported suffering verbal harassment while one-in-seven reported physical

attacks. (Tracy) This is a serious case that can happen and has happened from the youngest age

to the oldest age possible. Many factors come into play such as family and friends in these cases.

The ending of the play in the book is gives us a better sense of Gallimards character. As

Song presents to strip for him for the very first time he objects continuously. Then states he

doesnt want to see because he already know what he will see. That line says a lot. The reason

its such powerful line, is because it opens even more the true sexuality of Gallimard. Him

stating the fact that he already knew what he would see, says hes known for a while now that

Song was a guy. We dont know how long hes known, but the fact that he knew for a time says
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that he couldnt live with himself knowing he isnt straight. The important point here is that he

never accepted it himself. The term used is minority stress, where stress levels are high due to

what will people say factor.

Gallimard can be seen as the protagonist, and as a dynamic one as well. Gallimard is

given the term dynamic, because even though we dont see much change between the book we

do see the change at the end. Where he goes from a powerful western man to a gay guy. Song on

the other hand can be seen in two different ways. Those two being either a protagonist or

antagonist. He can be identified as an antagonist because of the fact that he was just using

Gallimard for information that he could of taken from him. On the other hand he could of been

seen as a protagonist as a hero. Reason being that he got Gallimard to express his true sexual

orientation. If we go back to the beginning of the play Gallimard was never the type of guy to get

at woman never had the confidence to talk to them. Can him being gay be the reason for that? If

it was,then Song is seen as a hero for getting that out of his cocoon.

Mr. Hwang writes this play not to hit just one point, but to hit many points of society in

the real life. LGBT being the biggest aim of his play, while at the same time comparing the

West/East empowerment over each other. Its important to understand and realize the serious

cases of suicidal outside in the real world. As well as understanding what is expected from a

western man and what is expected from an eastern woman. The play has important messages and

is left openly to the reader to interpret it as freely as he or she likes.

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WorkCited

The Closet: Psychological Issues of Being In and Coming Out. The Closet: Psychological

Issues of Being In and Coming Out | Psychiatric Times,

www.psychiatrictimes.com/articles/closet-psychological-issues-being-and-coming-out.

Hwang, David Henry. M. Butterfly. Dramatists Play Service, 2008.

Tracy, Natasha. Homosexuality and Suicide: LGBT Suicide A Serious Issue - LGBT Mental

Health - Gender. HealthyPlace,

www.healthyplace.com/gender/glbt-mental-health/homosexuality-and-suicide-lgbt-suicide-a-seri

ous-issue/.