Historicity of Texts: An Analysis of M. Butterfly from the Perspective of New Historicism

Abstract

— This paper looks into famous playwright David Henry Hwang ’ s M. Butterfly with New Historicism, building concrete links between the play and the real-world historical contexts from which it emerged. It works through textual close reading of the play ’ s dialogues and key scenes to uncover hidden meanings within the text. According to Louis Montrose ’ s concept of “ the historicity of texts ” , the study focuses on how the play ’ s treatments of cultural stereotype, gender roles, and political events is influenced by the complex historical conditions of the 1980s. It further discusses how the play takes an active part in the major intellectual movements at that time. By analyzing content and plot in the play, we can better understand that literary text absorbs impacts from its historical moment, and it also brings new perspectives that feed into ongoing historical construction. This paper argues that M. Butterfly offers a clear example of how a text is both shaped by and participating in history.