Patriarchy in "M. Butterfly"

Patriarchy is a concept which supports the power and strength of men. This concept tells that the level of men is higher than women. From time to time, the concept of patriarchy entrenched in human thought. A feminist named Simone De Beauvoir wrote about “The Second Sex” to criticize this concept. In her writing, she said that women that also known as the second class citizen must have the courage to say no about something that they don’t want.

“We shall not, then, permit our self to be intimidated by the number and violence of the attacks launched against women, nor to be entrapped by the self-seeking eulogies bestowed on the “true woman,” nor to profit by the enthusiasm for woman’s destiny manifested by men who would not for the world have any part of it.”  (Beauvoir)

 De Beauvoir concluded that civilization—all of it: culture, knowledge, art, values—was of man’s making. The statement implies that women are weaker than men, that men are “the one” and women are “the other” is only social construction. Then, she believes that

“Modern Technology—including contraception and abortion—women could surmount their physical disadvantages; with advent of socialism, their secondary social and economic status would be overcome.”

Here, De Beauvoir wanted that women can change their life if they can say no and fight against something that they didn’t want because the concept of patriarchy that men hold reflects their frightened and foolishness towards women.

            In M. Butterfly play, the main character Rene Gallimard unconsciously holds the concept of patriarchy and brings it up into his mind. However, the concept of patriarchy that he has is just to cover his fear and shows his stupidity toward the other women characters, such as Helga, Renee, Song Liling, etc. Some of his acts prove that he really feels superior, but then it’s just only in his mind when he lives with Helga. He makes a fantasy about the “Perfect Woman” like one of the character in Madama Butterfly play which is Cio-Cio-San who sacrifices for her husband the Western. From that play, I think it’s really patriarchal because it explains that men are really superior which is made the women willing to sacrifices. The perfect woman that Gallimard wants is like Cio-Cio-San who are submissive and willing to sacrifice, which are butterfly’s characters. He is colonized by his own mind about the “Perfect Woman”. It makes him live in his own mind. He thinks that he is Pinkerton in the play Madama Butterfly, and will get a beautiful woman like butterfly. Actually Rene Gallimard is not a handsome guy as he said “Gallimard: But my vows had long since lost their charm by the time we arrived in China. The sad truth is that all men want a beautiful woman, and the uglier the man, the greater the want.” (Scene 5, act one). He feels that he is similar to Pinkerton. Therefore, someday he will get a beautiful woman who makes him feel superior. However, now in his real life he has already married with Helga who has never made he feels superior. According to him, the Western women are too dominating. They are not like Butterfly that he wants. He married Helga because he didn’t find a woman like in his fantasy. His relation with Helga doesn’t show that Gallimard has power to protect Helga as his wife. He can’t do anything to Helga, because Helga actually has same power with him. From this, we can see that, although Gallimard has the concept of patriarchy he can’t prove it in his real life. It’s also the same when he met Renee. As Western women, she is also dominating and too ambitious. “Gallimard: … but is it possible for a woman to be too uninhibited, too willing, so as to seem almost masculine too.” (Scene 6, act two). Here, it’s not the character like Gallimards wants. Actually Renee is a beautiful woman, but she’s too uninhibited, willing and etc, so Gallimard can’t prove his superiority towards her. This reflects that his patriarchal concept is only in his mind and in real life he afraid towards Western women.

            The other example which shows his insecurity is:

“Gallimard: In real life, woman who put their total worth as less than sixty-six cents are quite hard to find. The closest we come is in the pages of these magazines. (He reaches into his crate, pulls out a stack of girlie magazines, and begins flipping through them) Quite a necessity in prison. For three or four dollars, you get seven or eight women. I first discovered these magazines at my uncle’s house. One day as a boy of twelve. The first time I saw them in his closet . . . all line up-my body shook. Not with lust – no, with power. Here were women- shelf full - who would do exactly as I wanted.”(Scene 5, Act One)

I think this statement also reflects Gallimard fear towards Western Woman. Unconsciously, Gallimard holds the concept of Patriarchy which makes him feel so free to watch the woman in magazine.  However women in the magazine are just a picture, not real women that he can easily watch them naked like in magazine. Therefore, I think that in real life he can not prove his power that he fantasizes. Again, this is the way he shows his fear because he chooses living in fantasy than real life.

            Next, what I want to prove is not only about Gallimard’s fear about the western women but also his stupidity. Gallimard finally met the woman who acts like the woman in his fantasy. Gallimard sees that Song Liling is the one who similar with Cio-Cio-San. When Gallimard first saw her in Opera, acting as Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly, he said “…I believe this girl. I believe her suffering. I wanted to take her in my arms- so delicate, even I could protect her, Take her home, pamper her until she smiled.” (Scene 6, Act One). This statement shows that, before he knows Song Liling deeply, he has already judged that Song Liling is the “Perfect Woman” that he looking for. He doesn’t know that Song Liling is actually a man. The patriarchal concept in here is that Gallimard feels so powerful to protect Song Liling. It seems that Song doesn’t have power to protect her self.  Here, Song Liling takes this turn to play with Gallimard’s fantasy. She takes advantages of the situation. She becomes a spy of China to America. She tries to prove that she is the “Perfect Woman” that Gallimard wants. “Gallimard: Unlike a western woman, she didn’t confront me, threaten, even pout.” (Scene 6, act two).  This shows that Song’s behavior is different with Western woman: Song is more submissive, so it makes Gallimard has power to dominatee her. From thee fantasy that he created, I think Gallimard becomes a stupid person. His own fantasy makes his life broken and also his fantasy. He finally knows that Song Liling is a man. It proves that although he has his patriarchal concepts in his mind and lives with his own fantasy just make him like a stupid person because he is tricked by Song Liling who pretends to be a woman. “Tonight, I’ve finally learned to tell fantasy from reality. And knowing the difference, I chose fantasy” (Scene 2, act three). He chose his fantasy because in reality his “Perfect Woman” is actually man. From this, I think he is frightened because he avoid the reality and chose to live with his stupid mind.

In conclusion, the patriarchy concept that men hold reflects their fear and foolishness towards women. They’re afraid to see their real life that makes them avoid accepting the truth. It is proven by Gallimard’s act in M. Butterfly.