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Have you ever seen the infamous Madame Butterfly opera by Puccini? If that is the case then you do not really need to read this play unless you want to read a modern queer version of the opera. Remarkably this story that David Henry Hwang is based on a true story but it is not autobiographical because he wanted to create his own original story by using these people to enhance the narrative. So the audience is left wondering what actually happen and what is fictional.

During the Vietnam War, Bernard Boursicot, a French diplomat who works at the French Embassy in China leads a rather boring and typical life as a civil servant. He seems to be happily married and is practically a nobody at the embassy just another name to add to the paperwork. Until one night he attends a Peking opera and meets the opera diva, Song Liling. It feels as though it is love at first sight and the affair between them blossoms into this beautiful and organic relationship but there is one detail that hasn't been mentioned which is... Song Liling is a man who is actually a spy trying to collect intel for the government.

This affair between them last for 20 years and people have often speculated whether Bernard truly knew that Song was a man and if so does that make him gay. I believe what is phenomenal about this piece is the fact that labels should not be applied to the narrative. Deep down I believe the illusion that Song portrayed was powerful enough to swept details about gender and sexuality under the rug and allow the romance to flourish between them.

Even though Song was a spy for the government it was extremely taboo to be dressed as a woman as a "lifestyle" and a crime to be engaging in gay sex. Another factor was Bernard went from a complete loser to man with authority and power due to scandalous affair. The idea of him cheating on his wife and being madly in love with Song brought up emotions and ideas of what it means to be a man to the surface and even the whole embassy knew about the affair and applauded him as though this is what powerful men are supposed to do.

One important topic that Hwang brings up is the racism towards Asians and the perception of women. He uses words like oriental, exotic, and other stereotypes to illustrate how Western civilization perceptions of the East has tainted Asian culture. Another brilliant example is the perception of the damsel in distress syndrome that particularly white men act towards asian women. My only issue with the entire play was the whole Madame Butterfly plot and analogy mixed into the story. Since I have seen the opera it was annoying to the point that it felt like Hwang was pounding the information into me. Because of that it was not a surprise for me the way the story ended and I will leave that to the readers to interpret that ending.