David Henry Hwang’s M.Butterfly (1988) and Monica Ali’s Brick Lane (2003): An Orientalist Reading.

Abstract

This dissertation examines the Orientalist representations in David Henry Hwang’s M.Butterfly (1988) and Monica Ali’s Brick Lane (2003). It aims to argue that both authors’ depiction of the Easterners, as Asian and Bangladeshis is Orientalist. To achieve our purpose, we have relied on theatrical implication of Edward Said in his well known work Orientalism (1978) and to shed light on important concepts; ‘Self’ versus ‘Other’ and stereotypes. The first chapter of the dissertation, we have dealt with the representation of the Self versus the Other. We have found out that both authors Hwang and Ali tackles the same issues of the representations of the Orient. The second chapter has been devoted to the representation and double oppression of the Oriental women. We have concluded that both female authors’ characters provide stereotypical images, besides, oppression against Oriental women. It also explores the way these characters embodied Said’s illustration of the Orient.