1、M. Butterfly : Poststructuralist Approaches (2),Postmodernism & Poststructuralism Q&A M. Butterfly: Discourses & Subject Positions (M. Foucault) M. Butterfly: Deconstruction Assignments,Postmodernism: Q & A,Do you think that our society with its fast processing of images and news is symptomatic of d
2、epthlessness? What is hyperspace? Is Living Mall a kind of hyperspace? Do you feel lost in it? How does Jameson characterize & explain postmodernism? How is postmodernism related to poststructuralism?,Post-Structuralism Defined,A theoretic grounding and explanation of postmodern society and postmode
3、rnism. An anti-foundationalist mode of thinking prevalent in the second half of the 20th c. Turns structure into structuration, or diffrence. Foundations: Reality Representation Man Subject Truth; History; God, . . ., any kind of Totalization and Center. Diffrance & Discourse,Poststructuralist criti
4、ques of foundations,“Representation” (wk 1) Re-presentation or realistic presentation is impossible. metafiction (next wk) Meanings of a text cannot be fixed; must be un-decidable or multiple. Deconstruction(today) Textualization of Knowledge, Subject and Society e.g. Foucault Truth is provisional.
5、Subjects are fragmentary. Society is a network of discourses.,M. Butterfly: Possible Poststructuralist Approaches,representation & identity: Its use of meta-theatrical devices to present how gender and racial identities are constructed. Parody of Madame Butterfly by exposing the play of power in the
6、 characters role play. Subject Positions & Competing Discourses. (Foucault & Orientalism),Identity Construction Roles = Clothes = Identity?,Costume change on the stage: 9, 14 (Marc), 86-87 Renee: We fight wars because we wear clothes. P. 55 We assume different positions of power. Undressing: Gallima
7、rd not undressing Song. 60 - Is there truth underneath clothes? Or is clothing a part of identity? - Does Gallimard turns to love Song at the end of Scene 6. Whats the “something new, something unnatural, . . . Something very close to love”?,From Language to Discourse: M. Foucault,1) Truth is provis
8、ional; constructed within a certain discourse, or “regime of truth.” e.g. Orientalism 2) Subjects are fragmentary (positions). 3) Society is a network of discourses. (Our course: Language Forms Race),discourse,Elements of a Discourse (1),P. 26 27 Values: Rules about the “sayable” and “thinkable”; th
9、e good and the bad; Authority of knowledge, and exclusion of other statements Practices within institutions in their historical circumstances,Orientalism a system of knowledge provided by some authorities (e.g. traveler); institutions Oriental Studies, publishers, government, import/export companies
10、, etc. History changes of international relationship. e.g. Changing constructions of the Japanese.,Elements of a Discourse (2): Subject Position,p. 55 56 Foucault 1). Hierarchy of Position; 2). “Other” as a subject positions. (e.g. Butterfly),Orientalism: experts; in-betweeners; the exotic The West
11、as Man, Savior; The Orient as Woman and backward/wicked,(Note: two ideas of subject: 1. Conscious 2. Subject to someone elses control. ),Discourse Theory: Application to M. Butterfly,1. M. Butterfly changes history to make itself a critique of Oriental Woman. 2. M. in a network of discourses: Privat
12、e: competing discourses. Public: Colonial and communist discourses in context Public: related discourses,M. Butterfly: critique of the discourse of Orientalism,A. Transformation of a historical event into a parody of Madame Butterfly, which is part of the discourse of Oriental Woman. 1) History of B
13、ernard Bouriscot and Shi Peipu differences from M. Butterfly (source: 20/20) - Six months after their friendship, Shi Peipu said he was not the man he appeared to be, but was a woman in disguise as a man. M. Butterfly: the tradition of Chinese opera. - BB no previous sexual experience; M. Butterfly
14、relates his desire to male voyeurism;,Turning History into a critique of Oriental Woman (2),- BB more active: stayed in China twice: left China in 1966, went back four years later to search for Shi and their son. - BB more implicated in China: because he was obsessed with being able to continue to s
15、ee Peipu, Bernard began smuggling secret documents out of the French embassy and bringing them to the two Communist Party officials. (in China) less power play among the French M. Butterfly: -Butterflys return to the empire; - historical junctures: Cultural revolution Vietnam war May Revolution in 1
16、968 France,Turning History into a critique of Oriental Woman (3),- After B. is summoned back to France, he had affairs with women, but he also realized he was sexually attracted to men. M. Butterfly: G concentrates on his ideal woman. - 1982, Shi visited Paris with his son. - 1986 caught because of
17、their spy acts.,Competing Versions of Fiction,G: “I am a man who love a woman created by a man.”,Song: ironic overtones: pp. 30; 41; 51; 63 3) Songs intrusion: pp. 47(scene 4); 63 (Scene 7),67, 78-79,G as an author,Song: - “theatre of China” 85 - stripping to take another role - “ a man, and not jus
18、t a man.” - your fantasy - “Butterfly? Butterfly?”,4) Final switching ofroles:,Competing Fictions outside the play,BERNARD BOURSICOT: And instead of beating him, I told, “But I want to see.” And he told, “Oh, it does not matter, no problem.” And he took his pants down and he told me, “You can see.”
19、And a week after, I wanted to die, because I was thinking, “Okay, now I am not only a prisoner, not only a spy, but a foolish person.” B: . . . there is the theory that you were homosexual all those years ago, but couldnt face it, and so you allowed yourself to be deceived. How do you answer that? B
20、ERNARD BOURSICOT: It is possible, but its not the sole explanation.,Competing Fictions (5): Ps version,BARBARA WALTERS: Just a friend? SHI PEIPU: (through interpreter) Of course. BARBARA WALTERS: Nothing more? SHI PEIPU: (through interpreter) Yes, but there is no use talking about it. Its over. Its
21、over. BARBARA WALTERS: How did you meet Monsieur Boursicot? SHI PEIPU: (through interpreter) I have forgotten, and besides, I dont speak about him anymore. BARBARA WALTERS: Did you ever tell Monsieur Boursicot that you were a woman? SHI PEIPU: (through interpreter) He said that? I dont think so. Im
22、not crazy like that.,Setting Orientalism in Context: Authorities/”God” in Politics Challenged,The storyset in 1960-1970 in Beijin;1966 - (1968)- 1986 in Paris; Why? Connecting sexual politics to (Inter-)national politics time of wars Scene 10 11 (Chairman Mao),Official history: Colonizers and Asia,H
23、istorical Background the subversion of several authorities - Cultural revolution - 1966-1976; fixed roles - Vietnam War : History: 1860 French colonization started, followed by Japan during WWII; After WWII 1955: France fought hard to regain their former territories without success. 1954- the countr
24、y divided into North and South,History and Fiction : Official history,1955 - the U.S.s involvement 1961- support forces arriving since then, Nov. 1963- President Diem overthrown and executed. 1965 - US intense bombing started, 1969 - USs withdrawal started, 1973 total withdrawal May 1975 - the fall
25、of Saigon. France: May 68: Frances month of revolution - a week of clashes there between extreme right wing groups and students campaigning against the Vietnam War. (More strikes and demonstration followed),Related Discourses of Orientalism,Reality: interracial marriages between white men and non-wh
26、ite women,Discourse 1 (e.g. Suzie Wong, Pocahontas in Hollywood films and fictions) White men: promises of freedom of choice; progress and material prosperity; Women: Cinderella-like transformation into “American” (Marchetti 117),Society is a network of discourses,“White knight” in romantic love: Ro
27、mantic love spiritual transcendence, against social stigma. The male lover worthy of womans submission and self-sacrifice. (Marchetti 110),Deconstruction,Binaries Subverted or Made Undecidable 1) self = Dress/Body/Mind, 2) Reality/Fantasy, 3) Communism/Capitalism, 4) Male/Female (Madame/Monsieur), E
28、ast/West, Cunning & Wicked Asian (Fu Man Chou or Dragon Lady)/Submissive Woman (China Doll) * Only subverted? Do we still have the stereotypes of Asian as cunning and manipulative, and West as idealistic, trusting and misinformed? * the final un-decidable: “M”,Deconstruction,Hwang wants to create a
29、“deconstructivist Madame Butterfly.” Butterfly as a floating sign, to be possessed in different ways by Gallimard and Song. Binaries: White man Oriental WomanGallimard SongGallimard & Song ? Gallimard/Butterfly Song/Butterfly “I am a man who love a woman created by a man.” Creating his own love obje
30、ct becoming his own object.,Reference:,“THE STRANGEST LOVE STORY OF ALL - THE REAL M BUTTERFLY.” Program script. ABCs 20/20, segment #02. Anchor: Barbara Walters. Date: Aug 12, 1994. Marchetti, Gina. Romance and the “Yellow Peril”: Race, Sex, and Discursive Strategies in Hollywood Fiction (U of California P, 1993),Assignments:,Poststructuralism (1): Deconstruction Postmodern Taiwanese poems “我把一條河弄丟了”（p. 125 and/or 夏宇的詩,
