Meryn Shapurji [ The Series of Letters ]

What I found the most interesting in Act One is also what had me the most frustrated. The series of letters from Song to Gallimard when he stops showing up to see Song. He responses were so misogynist yet they do a great job of setting up the duality of his character.

The First- "Did we fight? I do not know. Is the opera no longer of interest to you? Please come- my audiences miss the white devil in their midst." (35)

Gallimard's Response--> He likes that she seems sorry but she has not come right out and given an apology. She has only recognized that there is a rift between them. "Much too dignified" he claims after reading the letter.

The Second- "Six weeks have passed since we last met. Is this your practice-to leave friends in the lurch? Sometimes I hate you, sometimes I hate myself, but I always miss you." (35)

Gallimard's Response--> "Better" he thinks after reading the letter. "Better" implies a relationship to the previous letter. What is better? The one before was too dignified. This letter however Song claims how she "Sometimes hates herself" which is more obvious a way of accepting blame and saying she was in the wrong which would put him in the right. Of course he likes it better if wanting her to 

The Third- "Your rudeness is beyond belief, I don't deserve this cruelty. Don't bother to call. I'll have you turned away at the door." (35)

Gallimard's Response--> Smugly he says to himself how he hadn't tried to call her, still giving him the control. Yet he still continues to read her letters when they come....

The Fourth- "I am out of words. I can hide behind dignity no longer. What do you want? I have already given you my shame." (35)

Gallimard's Response--> The letter that has Gallimard going to see Song. He claims this letter 'concludes his experiment'. By her claiming to have given "her shame" to him. He is ecstatic for this is exactly what he has wanted. "I had finally gained power over a beautiful woman." Yet he has mixed emotions for he realizes he had used that power "cruelly" and that there is a justice and that the "ax would fall".  (36)

One of the first things that came to mind while reading the letters were the "Five Stages of Loss and Grief." (Denial/Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.) They come in a different order and combined. This also bothered me because Gallimard seems like a real ass and so I wonder why he has Song, who is wanted by so many men, feeling a loss.  Possibly relating the stages of grief to this section is something I think I could write my final paper about.

Though the play uses irony and humor (from reading the back cover it is obvious as to how) as a way of combating this situation to make it NOT like any every other woman who has groveled at a man's feet. I really enjoyed that. However, there is some slight redemption in his character with his response to the last letter. That turn is also what made me intrigued by his character.