Intertextuality is a complex and sometimes controversial art; a writer may attempt to preserve or change an original work’s theme, comment ironically upon it, or update it to accommodate changes in society. When the adaptation or appropriation is in a different
medium from the original, the artist has a whole new set of issues to consider. Compare Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly (as referenced in the play) and Hwang’s M. Butterfly.
How does Hwang’s intertext refashion its source text to create new meaning?
Your task is to choose one of these topics and to develop
it into a strong, clearly worded, challenging three-storey thesis (which you will underline) that
announces your topic, frames what your paper will do and highlights why your argument is
significant. Your argument should be presented in a formal essay format and have an
introduction and a conclusion. Please underline the topic sentences in each of the paragraphs in
the body of the paper. Develop your argument by providing evidence from the text but avoid
summarizing the plot. You want to present your reading or interpretation of some aspect or
feature of the work, not retell the story.
