"To Ophelia" - response to Chrissie White's post

M. Butterfly is dedicated “To Ophelia;” I will be the first to admit that, having not read Hamlet (yet), I don’t know much about Ophelia, but I do know that she and Song have some surprising similarities. Ophelia, as the beloved girlfriend of the great prince Hamlet, is an idealized noblewoman – the perfect match for a heroic prince. Song, according to Gallimard, is also the epitome of a “Perfect Woman” (because he associates her immediately with Cio-Cio-San, another famous heroine) (4). Gallimard considers Song to be “beautiful and brave” – brave enough to take her own life (as Ophelia and Butterfly did) over the loss of someone she loved (5). Both females are appealing to a man like Gallimard because they are beautiful and seemingly powerless (instead of fighting back or leaving their men, they kill themselves).
More important than their individual similarities as women is their similar treatment by their husband/boyfriend: Gallimard abruptly abandons Song, and Hamlet loses his temper with and degrades Ophelia. Interestingly, both men use the only women they have any control over to go on a power trip. As Chrissie points out, these types of men are prone to abusing the types of women they seek and seemingly want to love. Gallimard’s lack of control over all other women in his life – from the “superior” Isabelle to his un-romantic (and therefore unworthy of being controlled) wife, Helga – has prepared him to unleash every ounce of pent-up oppression on the first beautiful woman who takes interest in him (33). Similarly, Hamlet has no control over the actions of his mother, the queen, and must feel as though Ophelia, as his inferior in rank and gender, is the perfect outlet for his frustrations.
Significantly, both Gallimard and Hamlet twist the traditional masculine and feminine gender roles to oppress their women. Hamlet, in a fit of rage, commands poor Ophelia: “Get thee to a nunnery” – nunneries being the place for women to take shelter and vows of chastity. Essentially, Hamlet orders Ophelia to: 1) get out of his sight, and 2) seek shelter, as a member of the weaker sex, in a sanctuary – both severe blows to the woman who loved Hamlet, and who subsequently felt betrayed by him. Gallimard believes he is toying with Song’s womanly heart by refusing to attend the Peking Opera or even answer her letters. It is only after Song confesses, “I have already given you my shame,” that Gallimard begins to regret his cruel “experiment” (31). Like Hamlet, he abuses his dominant role in the relationship (the role traditionally given to the man) by forcing Song to feel the emotional pain of a spurned and neglected woman.
I believe David Henry Hwang dedicated this play “To Ophelia” to show his sympathy with her plight, but also to criticize her suicide. Instead of killing herself, Ophelia should have spoken up to Hamlet – as his closest friend (as his girlfriend), she could have helped him through his trauma and his difficulties. Hwang wants others, including those in his play, to learn from Ophelia’s mistake: being rejected by a lover is not the end of the world, and it is no reason to throw away your own life.