Catching Butterflies - Chrissie White

Throughout act one of M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang, the theme of lust is strongly represented in the main character’s inner thoughts and recollections. I was very interested in Gallimard’s view of men and women, which is mentioned several times in the first few scenes. Through the perspective of others, we learn that Gallimard is “not very good-looking” (3). Through Gallimard’s inner thoughts expressed, we find out that his obsession with the play Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini stems from his ability to relate to the main character, Pinkerton, a man who is also “not very / good looking” (5). Pinkerton finds a woman, Cio-Cio-San, who is known as Butterfly. She is beautiful and Pinkerton views her beauty in a demeaning way. He claims that she wants to be treated badly because she is from China. This view of women is seen in Gallimard’s actions throughout the rest of act one. In scene five, Gallimard expresses his view that all men who are “not handsome, nor brave, nor powerful…deserve a Butterfly” (10).

Gallimard is married to a woman named Helga, but he does not love her or desire her the way he does Song Liling, a Chinese opera singer. Once again his ill treatment of women is displayed in his attempts to start an affair. I am very interested in his motives. I wonder what it is about Helga that makes him distance himself from her. He expresses his disconnect in scene 5 when he explains that his wedding “vows had long since lost their charm by the time [he and Helga] arrived in China” (14). As Gallimard confesses his insight to the audience of the play, he reveals his harsh character flaws. He believes that “all men want a beautiful woman, and the uglier the man, the greater the want” (14).

Still, after he finds Song Liling in China and tries desperately to win her affection, he does not show any fair treatment towards women. He feels powerful when women feel inferior to him. He leaves Song “waiting for [him] to call, and…wickedly refuse[s] to do so” (32). He explains rather sadly in the end of act one that he “had finally gained power over a beautiful woman, only to abuse it cruelly” (36). Gallimard is not my favorite character at this point.