Butterfly, Hwang depicts a reversal of roles in the ideals of Orientalism where, Gallimard exemplifies characteristics of the Orient and Song portrays qualities of the Occident. Gallimard is from France-he is the Occident-and Song is a male spy, disguised as a woman, from China-she is the Orient. It is thought that, “Song: The West believes the East, deep down, wants to be dominated-because a woman can’t think for herself” (Hwang 83). The West thus created a stereotype of how “Occidental” males and “Oriental” women are to act Occidental men are to be dominant and confident, whereas Oriental women are submissive and desperate for a western man. This implies that the Occident created the idea of the Orient as a fascinating culture, which gives the Occident the belief that they are entitled to have control over the Orient. According to Edward Said’s, The Edward Said Reader, “…the Orient is an idea that has a history and a tradition of thought, imagery, and vocabulary that have given it reality and presence in and for the West” (71). Orientalism was created by Western culture-primarily European countries-in order to separate Eastern and Western cultures: the Orient (China and other Asian countries) and the Occident (France, England and other Western European countries). Through these three words, David Henry Hwang is able to convey the basic principles of Orientalism in his play, M.
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