In seven pages David Henry Hwang's play M. Butterfly is examined within a cultural context and discusses how the similarities to the opera by Puccini ends at the conclusion because of differing political perceptions. Human psychology, colonization, and gender are among the issues discussed. Two sources are cited in the bibliography.
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to even remotely be confused with Puccinis opera, this Madame Butterfly has more dark overtones, and more piercing dialogue concerning issues of gender, religion, and human psychology.
Though Puccinis opera is mentioned (in fact in the first scene of the play), it serves only as a foreshadowing element, one could state.
Most audience goers would have been familiar with the opera, or at least have some idea of what it was about. So, perhaps Hwang felt it necessary to mention it.
Also, the mention of the Puccini opera also served to illustrate and give critical information about Gallimard, the plays protagonist. Anyone
can throw a few sentences together, it can be argued. So, what makes a good writer? Quite frankly it is a combination, one might consider, of an artists eye for
detail, a psychologists questioning mind, and the courage of a skydiver. In other words, the writers own unique voice is something that no matter what the plotline or the characters,
the story will be different from anyone else who contrives to tell the tale. The play is an intricate parallelism between characters, between cultures, between sexes, and all the
while, the duplicity of each of these dichotomies becomes apparent. In fact the first direct comparison would be that of Gallimards character and the European expansionist ways. This expansion was
characterized by its conquering of lands, subjugation of its indigenous peoples, and the exploitation of the resources to the benefit of European appetites. Also during this time, women were viewed
as the inferior sex. This type of masculine view was applied to everything, it can be stated, and as such the East was considered to be feminine while the West