Gender Stereotypes In M. Butterfly

Throughout the story of M. Butterfly, Gallimard development a relationship with several women. One of his particular relationship is with an outspoken Danish girl name Renee. Renee in stark contrast to Song represent what the perception of western culture to be. She is outspoken, bold, and sexually liberated. During the affair, while in bed Renee conversation about Gallimard penis and comparing it to her men showed just how loose her thought are on the subject of sexuality. She made comments such as “You have a nice weenie” and talk a man penis with Gallimard. Her sexual exhibition is something that would not be seen in Song. To Gallimard, his affair with Renee are both exciting and unpleasant. Renee behavior fulfill the exhilaration Gallimard

is missing from his relationship with Song. He at the same time also find her outspokenness to be unpleasant. Gallimard is someone who like to be in control of the relationship. With Song Gallimard was able to have that control, while with Renee he does not have that control over her. Renee coming from a western society, where relationship between a man and woman are equal. Bound by his obsession to find a woman who would worship him and sacrifice everything for him. His relationship with Renee is short lived and would not have survive. Renee is someone who exhibited what western society stand for and would not allowed Gallimard to take charge of their relationship. Renee is not someone Gallimard see would be able to sacrifice everything for love. The woman he found that would be able to do it is Song.
Gallimard found that Eastern women conform to his ideology.

Gallimard comments about oriental women showed how he viewed them. During one of his conversation, he said “It’s true what they say about oriental girls, they wanted to be treated bad.” His perception of oriental people is what many believe to be true. In an article written by Mendy Wand about eastern vs western culture, she stated the perception people has with both cultures. She explains that eastern and western culture both has different way in which that they live their life. She said that eastern people end to passive and they tend to be more submissive rather than aggressive. Their thought on love are mute. They don’t say “I love you” but showed their love through their actions. Western people on the other hand are vocal with their love. When they want to show their loves they would say it loudly. Mendy said “in western society a woman married a poor man but still feel satisfy, that would be fine. For an Eastern woman matchable social status and standing are what is important when finding a partner.” Another article “Understanding Different Cultural Patterns or Orientation Between East and West” written by Liu Qingxue talk about the different cultural patterns and orientations. In the article Liu mention that the beliefs of one’s culture is how we viewed the world. Gallimard, coming from a western society has his own viewed on in culture and Chinese culture. Song coming from an Eastern culture had his/her own

viewed on both western and eastern culture.
This I Believe
The play I found to be very interesting.

The contrast in western and eastern culture are very noticeable and allowed us to see the differences. The obsession Gallimard has in finding that perfect woman when it fact was a man is ironic and humorous. I still just don’t understand how he would not have notice that Song is a man. Maybe he was so lost in his delusion of what he found to be the perfect woman made it what see Song as a woman even when he found out that Song is indeed a man. I had a lot of fun watching and reading Madame Butterfly and M. Butterfly. The play in stark contrast to what I usually read. The differences between Madame Butterfly and M. Butterfly give me a unique senses of the struggle that Madame Butterfly and Gallimard had toward their idea of

love.

Worked Cited

Qingxue, Liu. “Understand Different Cultural Patterns or Orientations Between East and West.” Investigative Linguistic, Vol. IX. Polzan, April 2003.

Wang, Mendy. “Eastern vs. Western Culture.” Mosiac. June 2007