View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Song need from Comrade Chin?

2. What does Chin want Song to find out?

3. Why does Song believe women's roles in opera are played by men?

4. Who does Comrade Chin report to?

5. What is the last thing that Helga says to Gallimard?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nearing the end of Act 2, Helga and Gallimard have an altercation involving the changing face of the country. Gallimard seems unable to find happiness in his life in France, and Helga seems lost as well, unable to understand the political upheaval that has followed them from the Eastern world.

1. How was life different for Gallimard and Helga during their time in China? How has France changed in the time they were away? How are the two countries similar?

2. How does Gallimard react to Helga's opinion of their two homes? What does Gallimard want that Helga cannot provide?

3. How does this interaction reflect the larger picture of international changes?

Essay Topic 2

At the conclusion of Act 2, Song asks the audience to take a break while he makes his physical change from woman to man. He fully removes his makeup, wig and kimono to change into his male ensemble. Song's transformation is not limited to the physical. Even though we as an audience knew Song was a man for several scenes, the full reveal has dramatic implications.

1. Describe in detail the transformation Song makes physically, emotionally and characteristically. How does he talk to people differently? How does he treat Gallimard in Act 3 as opposed to Acts 1 and 2?

2. What is the symbolism of taking an intermission to watch song take off his makeup and change?

3. Why do you believe Hwang chose this moment in the play to fully reveal Song as a man? How would the play have changed if we had seen him as a man earlier? What would be the dramatic implications of withholding the knowledge of Song's true sex until this moment?

Essay Topic 3

The politics of a changing world play a major part in the direction of the plot. Write an essay on how the political tumult defines the conflict between certain characters and situations.

1. What are some of the major political events that happen while Gallimard is in office? What are the major global events that occur during the 1960's?

2. As the 60's progress, how does life for the characters in the play change? What is at stake for characters involved? How does the play and the stakes within it change as time goes by?

3. Describe how the growing chaos of the 1960s reflect events within M. Butterfly.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 532 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample