M Butterfly Poststructuralist Approaches.ppt

1、M. Butterfly : Poststructuralist Approaches (2),Postmodernism History; God, . . ., any kind of Totalization and Center. Diffrance must be un-decidable or multiple. Deconstruction (today) Textualization of Knowledge, Subject and Society e.g. Foucault Truth is provisional. Subjects are fragmentary. So

2、ciety is a network of discourses.,M. Butterfly: Possible Poststructuralist Approaches,representation 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),discou

3、rse,Elements of a Discourse (1),P. 26 27 Values: Rules about the “sayable” and “thinkable”; the 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 (

4、e.g. traveler); institutions Oriental Studies, publishers, government, import/export companies, 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

5、 subject positions. (e.g. Butterfly),Orientalism: experts; in-betweeners; the exotic The West 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

6、 history to make itself a critique of Oriental Woman. 2. M. in a network of discourses: Private: 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

7、 parody of Madame Butterfly, which is part of the discourse of Oriental Woman. 1) History of Bernard 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

8、. Butterfly: the tradition of Chinese opera. - BB no previous sexual experience; M. Butterfly 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 thei

9、r son. - BB more implicated in China: because he was obsessed with being able to continue to see 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 ret

10、urn to the empire; - historical junctures: Cultural revolution Vietnam war May Revolution in 1968 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 conc

11、entrates on his ideal woman. - 1982, Shi visited Paris with his son. - 1986 caught because of 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 a

12、n author,Song: - “theatre of China” 85 - stripping to take another role - “ a man, and not just a man.” - your fantasy - “Butterfly? Butterfly?”,4) Final switching of roles:,Competing Fictions outside the play,BERNARD BOURSICOT: And instead of beating him, I told, “But I want to see.” And he told, “

13、Oh, it does not matter, no problem.” And he took his pants down and he told me, “You can see.” 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

14、ago, but couldnt face it, and so you allowed yourself to be deceived. How do you answer that? BERNARD 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 m

15、ore? SHI PEIPU: (through interpreter) Yes, but there is no use talking about it. Its over. Its 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 Bours

16、icot that you were a woman? SHI PEIPU: (through interpreter) He said that? I dont think so. Im 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-)n

17、ational politics time of wars Scene 10 11 (Chairman Mao),Official history: Colonizers and Asia,Historical 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 WW

18、II 1955: France fought hard to regain their former territories without success. 1954- the country 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 in

19、tense bombing started, 1969 - USs withdrawal started, 1973 total withdrawal May 1975 - the fall 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 followe

20、d),Related Discourses of Orientalism,Reality: interracial marriages between white men and non-white 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 “

21、American” (Marchetti 117),Society is a network of discourses,“White knight” in romantic love: Romantic 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 = D

22、ress/Body/Mind, 2) Reality/Fantasy, 3) Communism/Capitalism, 4) Male/Female (Madame/Monsieur), East/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 wa