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180 in M. Butterfly

Hey everyone! It seems a bit unreal to me that we have just finished reading the last book of the year. I truly enjoyed reading M. Butterfly because in such an engaging way, it has presented us very important ideas to think about—ideas that are reflective of personal as well as global views. In relation to the rest of the books we have read this year, it strikes me how the texts are mostly written in the form of storytelling. Whether it is Gallimard telling his story in prison, or Lily retelling a story of her regretful past in The Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I feel that the reason why the texts are so engaging is because the protagonists are the ones to their own stories. On that note, I find it interesting how Gallimard’s attitude towards the beginning and the end of the play shifts. In scene 3 of act 1, when explaining the thoughts that go through his mind, Gallimard says, “Alone in this cell, I sit night after night, watching our story play through my head, always searching for a new ending, one which redeems my honor, where she returns at last to my arms” (4). Accordingly, besides his dislike towards the way in which he and Song have departed, Gallimard feels that his respect from others has been lost. Therefore, the only way to “redeem” or retrieve his respect is for Song to return to him. However, in scene 3 of act 3, Gallimard states, “I’ve played out the events of my life night after night, always searching for a new ending to my story, one where I leave this cell and return forever to my Butterfly’s arms” (91). After being confronted with the truth that Song is a man, Gallimard realizes that it is Butterfly, not Song, whom he has been in love with. Consequently, Gallimard goes from wanting the story to end “where she returns at last to my arms,” to “where I... return forever to my Butterfly’s arms,” which goes to show that he is the one in need of Butterfly’s love.

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Difference in Perspectives

Hi everyone! I want to bring attention to and see what you think about the difference in perspectives in M. Butterfly. Gallimard finds the story of Madame Butterfly beautiful, and the reason is because he sees Cio-Cio-San’s suicide as a pure sacrifice for her love towards Pinkerton. In such case, San’s suicide is romanticized, for she has sacrificed her life for Pinkerton despite him leaving her and marrying another woman. However, it sparks realization when Song says, “It’s one of your favorite fantasies, isn’t it? The submissive Oriental woman and the cruel white man” (17). From her remark, it is clear how Gallimard is amazed by the opera because the way in which Pinkerton has so much power, due to him being a Westerner, to the point of perpetuating San’s suicide accentuates San’s fragility and delicacy. This is further evident when Gallimard states, “I wanted to take her in my arms—so delicate, even I could protect her” (16). Accordingly, the story of Madame Butterfly allows Gallimard to fantasize and imagine himself to be in the position of Pinkerton, in which he finds the thought of having so much power over a woman beautiful.

However, Song goes on to provide an alternative scenario, of “a blonde homecoming queen falling in love with a short Japanese businessman” (17). She asks Gallimard if he would not consider this girl to be a “deranged idiot,” after rejecting a young Kennedy and committing suicide after finding out that her short Japanese husband has married someone else (17). From providing such story, Song points out how Gallimard only finds the story of Madame Butterfly beautiful because it is an Asian woman who kills herself for a Westerner. Do you agree with Song’s statement? How do you think cultural expectations or stereotypes play into the romanticizing of the opera?

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The Power of Translation

Hi all! As we recently finished working on our poetry anthology, I wanted to share a translation of Spanish poems that really caught my attention! Working on the anthology gave me a chance to explore poems of different languages that I would not have had chance to researched about previously. Additionally, I feel that we now have an immense appreciation and recognition of translators because we have either translated a poem in another language or seen the work that goes into translating and the choices a translator has to make. Accordingly, the Translation in Poetry project and poetry anthology allowed me to see the power of translation, of making fascinating poems of foreign language accessible to more audience. Hope you enjoy and feel free to let everyone know if there is any poem of foreign language that you would like to share!

Breve tratado de etimología Por Eduardo Chirinos

Si alguien dice que tu poema es nostálgico, acéptalo. No hay mejor elogio. En griego nostos significa retorno, algia significa dolor. ¿Qué es el poema sino el retorno de un dolor? Si dicen que tu poema es melancólico, acéptalo. No hay mejor elogio. En griego melan significa negro, khole significa bilis. ¿Qué es el poema sino el desorden más nefasto del cuerpo y del espíritu? Dolor y enfermedad. Si tu poema es nostálgico y melancólico debes ir al médico.

Brief Treatise on Etymology By Eduardo Chirinos Translated by G.J. Racz

If someone tells you that your poem is nostalgic, take it as a compliment. There's no greater praise. In Greek, nostos means "return" and algia "pain." What's a poem without the return of pain? If they tell you that your poem is melancholic, take that as a compliment, too. In Greek, melan means "black" and khole "bile." What's a poem without the most pernicious disorder of the body and soul? Pain and illness. If your poem is nostalgic and melancholic, see a doctor.

Viento, agua, piedra Wind, Water, Stone Por Octavio Paz By Octavio Paz Translated by Eliot Weinberger

El agua horada la piedra, Water hollows stone, el viento dispersa el agua, wind scatters water, la piedra detiene al viento. stone stops the wind. Agua, viento, piedra. Water, wind, stone. El viento esculpe la piedra, Wind carves stone, la piedra es copa del agua, stone’s a cup of water, el agua escapa y es viento. water escapes and is wind. Piedra, viento, agua. Stone, wind, water. El viento en sus giros canta, Wind sings in its whirling, el agua al andar murmura, water murmurs going by, la piedra inmóvil se calla. unmoving stone keeps still. Viento, agua, piedra. Wind, water, stone. Uno es otro y es ninguno: Each is another and no other: entre sus nombres vacíos crossing and vanishing pasan y se desvanecen through their empty names: agua, piedra, viento. water, stone, wind.

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Forgiveness

Hi all! I wanted to spend some time talking about the significance and irony of the word forgiveness. It is mentioned that the reason why Esther encourages Yaw to visit his mother, Akua, after what she had done, has something to do with forgiveness. However, at the same time, Yaw is hesitant to visit her after all those years because he doubts the validity of forgiveness. He continues on to say that forgiveness is a word that the Christians used in order to trick and manipulate the people of Africa and mentions, “Forgiveness, they shouted, all the while committing their wrongs” (237). The white men who conquered Africa in the name of spreading Christianity had used their religion as means to manipulate and exert control over a group of people who were reluctant yet did not have much choice but to conform to the white men’s god. Additionally, while asking Africans to repent their sins, the white men would go on to immoral things, such as hiding their marriage to another African woman to their wives at home, or the Missionary burning Abena’s dead body after basically murdering her. Thinking about such things made me think of a quote from the Bible, “To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either” (Luke 6:29). Despite the good intent of spreading benevolence to others, such attitude and the way in which white men tried to force Christianity onto others devalues the true purpose of a religion, of establishing a relationship between an individual and god, and makes one question whether forgiveness is a valid thing to ask for from others.

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Manipulative Power

Hi all! A prevalent motif that I have noticed in Homegoing is power. Although power brings security to some, the possession of it comes with a great price.

Despite Fiifi’s major influence in their marriage, Quey chooses power over love by agreeing to marry Nana Yaa, the daughter of Asante king. Consequently, without love, their marriage seems to be taken over by a series of arguments and disagreements. Accordingly, having grown up watching his parents, James becomes distinctly aware of the unhappiness that exists between their parents’ marriage, “duty held them together, though even that seemed to be barely enough” (90). Putting myself in James’s position, I wonder how discouraging it might be to see his parents be discontent with another, to know that their marriage is an obligation. In such case, although power might seem to secure Quey’s royal family line, it does not secure his happiness. As exhibited by James’s hope to live a simpler life as opposed to his father’s, Quey’s work for British and Fantes “left him with money and power, but little else” (102).

Besides Quey’s choice in sacrificing his marriage, slavery seems to have links to possession of power as well. It had not come across my mind that slavery has been the source of power for the Asantes and Fantes, “The Asante had power from capturing slaves. The Fante had protection from trading them” (96). Accordingly, despite the trading of slaves for resources, slavery is what protected some Africans from the Europeans as the Europeans had to maintain trade with the Africans in order to receive slaves. However, it makes me question who really obtained power from slavery because it also seems like slavery has provided ways for Europeans to manipulate the Africans into fulfilling their desires as well. As the Europeans settle at Cape Coast Castle, they take control of the people of Africa through slavery, and by doing so, they secure their way to power, “It’s a question of who will own the land, the people, the power” (93).

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Shakespeare’s Sexist Word Choices

Hello everyone. I noted several words and phrases that appear in Act 4 that seem very condescending towards women, so I hope to discuss Shakespeare’s sexist word choice in this post! Some of them that stood out to me the most include:

“wanton” (4.1.87)

“monkey,” “bauble,” “fitchew” (4.1.148,155,166)

“a subtle whore, A closet lock and key of villainous secrets” (4.2.24)

“A cistern for foul toads to knot and gender in” (4.2,71-72)

It amazes me how creative Shakespeare can get with his words but also frustrates me how condescending he is towards women as he chooses to incorporate such words in his play. To introduce some context to the words mentioned above, when Iago talks to Othello about how there exists many men who are not aware of their wives’ affair, he mentions, “To lip a wanton in a secure couch and to suppose her chaste!” (4.1.87-88). A wanton means “a lewd or lascivious person” and is a likely synonym for whore (Merriam-Webster). Besides the derogatory term, Iago says “to lip a wanton” which is condescending because saying “to lip” removes the emotional aspect of kissing and also objectifies women. Additionally, the use of words “bauble” and “fitchew” which mean “silly woman” and “polecat,” respectively, also adds onto many examples of sexist terms Shakespeare uses (180). What are your opinions on Shakespeare’s choice in using these words? Have you found any other examples of such demeaning words and phrases?

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Male Traits in Women

Hi everyone. As we have reached the end of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I wanted to briefly talk about the types of masculine traits observed in women before moving onto Othello! Throughout the novel, I have noticed several incidences where women are described as having exhibited male-affiliated traits. When describing her mother, Lily says, “Traits of deceit and cunning ran so strongly in her... Something like male ambition glowed right through her skin” (19). In her statement, the reference of “male ambition” to “Traits of deceit and cunning” suggests that men are treacherous and conniving. I find this statement interesting because I feel that it is often the case where women are the ones to be described as being deceitful and cunning in works of literature. However, the establishment of a connection between such traits and male ambition brings into attention of the ways in which men are associated or regarded pessimistically in the novel. Besides, it is not only Lily’s mother who displays such traits but also Lily herself. When the sworn sisters confront Lily after Snow Flowers death, Plum Blossom mentions, “You had too much man-thinking in you. You loved [Snow Flower] as a man would, valuing her only for following men’s rules” (243). Plum Blossom points out how Lily has always advised Snow Flower to succumb to men’s desires by enforcing men’s rules on her, which brings into attention of how Lily becomes accustomed to men’s way of thinking as she carries her position as Lady Lu. Considering such male traits are exhibited in Lily and her mother, it occurs to me that such possession of traits ultimately leads both of them to lose their loved ones—Lily, Snow Flower and Mama, Lily.

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The Return of Etymology

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a nice break:) As I was researching for poems for the Translation in Poetry project, I found a poem that I wanted to share. Originally titled “Breve tratado de etimología,” this poem is written by Eduardo Chirinos who is a Peruvian poet. Reading this poem gives me flash backs to the insightful discussions we had about etymology in class. The fact that it, while written in Spanish, talks about the Greek etymology of certain words, which is then translated into English catches my attention. According to its Greek roots, the word nostalgic alludes to “return of pain” and melancholic, “black bile.” As nostalgic and melancholic are words that are used quite commonly to describe a poem, the reference to words that connote “pain and illness” in Greek brings up an interesting perception of these words. Additionally, I feel that the fact that G.J. Racz has translated the poem in a way whereby most of the words written by Chirinos are preserved in their most original sense accentuates the meaning of the poem. Consequently, I think the use of multitudinous languages further brings into attention of the importance of etymology and translation.

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