Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2000. [Vol. 6.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 26)

Studies - András Tarnóc: "we deserve a Butterfly ": The Reversal of the Post-colonial Self in David Henry Hwang 's M. Butterfly

Bhabha, a " hybrid location of perpetual tension, antagonism, and pregnant chaos" (qtd. in Rath 10). The post-colonial mindset is placed in a third space, encompassing both the colonial and post-colonial heritage. Jessica Hagedorn describes it as such: "When I think of home now I mean three places. San Francisco Bay area really colore.d my work. New York is where I live. But Manila will always have a hold on me. I really don't think of myself as a citizen of one country but as a citizen of the world" (100). In M. Butterfly both the notion of the Self and the concept of home gain a new interpretation. The drama testifies to the intercultural efforts of the playwright as Hwang totally abandons the American scene and locates his heroes in France and China. Inspired by a story overheard at a party concerning a relationship between a French diplomat and a male Chinese spy masquerading as a woman, Hwang presents an updated version of Puccini's Madame Butterfly. The story can indeed be observed from two angles and it appears to offer two protagonists, Rene Gallimard, the French diplomat, and Song Liling, the Chinese spy. Also it operates on two levels, the actual plot and the imprisoned Gallimard awaiting his trial on the charge of treason recalling his ill-starred relationship with Song-Liling. Gallimard is modeled on a real French diplomat, Bernard Bouriscot who being stationed in China in the 1950's, fell in love with a Chinese spy assuming the identity of a female opera singer. While describing this relationship the playwright provides a parallel with Puccini's opera, and/or the Butterfly myth. Gallimard searching for the stereotypical Asian woman offering her unconditional love to a Westerner is an ardent believer in the myth of Madame Butterfly: There is a vision of the Orient that I have. Of slender women is chong sams and kimonos who die for the love of unworthy foreign devils. Who are born and raised to be the perfect women. Who take whatever punishment we give them, and bounce back, strengthened by love, unconditionally. It is a vision that has become my life. (2868) The drama raises several troubling questions. One concerns Gallimard's motivation upon entering this relationship. Given the situation of a French or European man stationed in the Far East, two domains of collective unconscious clash. Gallimard, infected with 99