The perceived gender roles in the play were actually reversed. When the reader witnesses the encounters between Rene and Song, it seems as if Rene is the dominant person in the relationship. The most profound evidence of this comes from Song’s introduction of a child into the relationship after Rene has been away. The child could not have been born from the father, so the child had to have come from the mother, and thus from Song. Although the reader knows the child is not Song’s, Rene is quite oblivious to this. The gender roles are clearly reciprocated when the reader sees Rene as “Butterfly” at the conclusion of the play and Song in an Armani suit. However, support of the reversal comes much earlie

r in the play. As much as Rene didn’t want to visit song, he did anyway. The reader can see this after the experiment Rene conjures to determine if Song can live without him. Song acted coy and pretended that he/she could not exist without Rene, but Rene thought of Song frequently. Additionally, the reader sees Rene’s marriage broken up when he chooses Song over Helga.

Song plays a two-faced role in the relationship and both Rene and Song suffer consequences because of it. One would not remain involved with someone for twenty years, simply for the sake of espionage. Song must have enjoyed the role he was playing. This may be observed in the closing scene in which Song is stripping and adopts a cocky attitude towards Rene. He suggests that Rene cannot live without him, but also expresses that he wants Rene to remain his partner. Song is clearly upset when Rene explains that he loved a lie (89). In the end, the reader sees that they both lose. Firstly, Rene kills himself. He realizes he is in a submissive role in the relationship, a position he would not have identified himself with. Rene recognizes that what he has loved does not exist. Song is not left untouched by his actions either. He loses his spying connection, and therefore his life.

Some topics in this essay:
Rene Song, Song Rene, Firstly Rene, Gallimard Frenchman, Song Armani, Helga Rene, Henry Hwang’s, Rene Rene, Song’s Rene, Song Song, rene song, song rene, asian feminine mystique, feminine mystique, asian feminine, relationship song, rene rene, rene kills, gender roles, evidence comes, song song,