The Collapse of Self-Seduction and Colonial Mimicry: An Analysis of the Film M. Butterfly Compared to Its Earlier Versions

Abstract

Through an in-depth analysis of the main characters and their relationship inDavid Cronenberg’s film M. Butterfly compared mainly to those in John LutherLong’s short story “Madame Butterfly,” this paper affords us a renewedunderstanding of the Orientalist hierarchy between the West and the East.The paper argues that, by constructing the multilayered identities of andcomplicated relationship between the main characters, René Gallimard andSong Liling, who cross the gendered and racially defined boundaries, thefilm deals critically with the Orientalist view of the West toward an Easternfeminine love, in which a beautiful, submissive Eastern woman is selflesslydevoted to a Western man. Using the ideas of self-seduction,self-deception, colonial mimicry, the Third Space, etc., the paper also pointsout the limitations of their crossing of the boundaries. That is, Gallimardcontinues blindly fantasizing about Oriental femininity to the end of the filmand Song’s deception and manipulation of Gallimard and his threats toGallimard’s superior position do not allow him to form a mutual partnershipwith Gallimard.