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What does Gallimard mean by the perfect woman?

What does Gallimard mean by the perfect woman?

Gallimard calls Song “his Butterfly,” the “Perfect Woman” who turns out to be a spy for the Communist Chinese government, and a man. Butterfly” contends with: ideas of Orientalism, differences between East and West, and the stereotypes of submissive Asian women and dominant, “cruel” white men.

Who is Rene Gallimard?

Rene Gallimard (died 1986) was a French civil servant who, in 1986, was charged with espionage after a 26-year-long affair with Chinese Beijing Opera singer Song Liling (a cross-dressing man, unbeknownst to Gallimard) led to Gallimard passing on classified information to Song, who then sent it to the Chinese embassy.

What does Gallimard do for a living?

In the 1960’s, Gallimard is a rather nondescript, low-level diplomat at the French Embassy in Beijing, China, at a time when France and the People’s Republic of China are establishing diplomatic relations. He has come to China harboring several stereotypes about “Oriental” women.

Why does Gallimard marry Helga?

As he changes, Gallimard explains to his audience that he married Helga, not out of love, but to advance his career. Knowing he would never win the love of a “fantasy woman,” he says, he settled for an advantageous match with the daughter of a diplomat.

What is the climax of M. Butterfly?

Climax: Song strips naked in front of Gallimard for the first time, and Gallimard rejects Song in favor of the fantasy of Butterfly. In some ways, Song is the antagonist, since he is responsible for Gallimard’s imprisonment and spends much of the play tormenting Gallimard.

Who is Gallimard in Madame Butterfly?

Rene Gallimard
A former French diplomat who relates the story of his passionate, disastrous affair with Song Liling from his cell in a Paris prison, where he is serving a long sentence for treason.

Did Song really love Gallimard?

Song has no love or respect for Gallimard; though other moments in the play may have suggested some warmth between them, that has clearly vanished, at least as far as Gallimard can imagine.

What opera is M. Butterfly based on?

opera Madama Butterfly
Butterfly is a play by David Henry Hwang. The story, while entwined with that of the opera Madama Butterfly, is based most directly on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a Peking opera singer. The play premiered on Broadway in 1988 and won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Play.

What does song tell Gallimard regarding her performance after he compliments her?

When Gallimard compliments her evening gown, Song gets flustered. She tells Gallimard she is not herself. Though she tries to behave like a modern Western woman, Song confesses, she is just a timid, modest Chinese girl in her heart. He would rather be with (and dominate) a meek girl than a self-possessed adult woman.

Who is chin in m butterfly?

Shizuko Hoshi: Comrade Chin Jump to: Quotes (2)

What is the conflict in M. Butterfly?

Orientalism, Imperialism, and Cultural Conflict As a French diplomat living in China in the 1960s, Gallimard lives in the shadow of the Indochina War. During this war, Vietnamese military forces under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh successfully fought for independence from the French, who…