Although many forms of literature and films depict the process of acculturation between the East and the West, they still highlight how cultural interaction can sometimes become a very intricate matter. These past centuries have been distinguished by an assortment of contact terms, comprising a variety of elements such as military, political, economic, religious, and romantic dimensions. This paper analyzes depictions of the ‘encounter’ theme in three different excerpts composed by Marco Polo, Strange Stones & the movies Genghis Khan & Madam Butterfly. In so doing, the paper focuses on the theme of romantic encounters as depicted in these excerpts. Being with partners, who belong to the different cultural milieu enables understanding of the finer cultural dynamics at play. Literature and film both highlight the inner struggles and challenges that can arise between those of different cultural backgrounds, as relationships tend to illustrate. During these exchanges, individuals not only receive information on those power relations, communication constraints, and societal expectations but also become more aware of all the advantages and disadvantages of cultural interactions. The way the relationships are described—whether it is in a novel or a film—illustrates the nuances of cross-cultural relationships and it reveals how some aspects of life go beyond the limits of countries, cultures, and so on. Engaging in a critical evaluation of the points of view and intentions of the authors and directors, in addition to drawing parallels between the theme of romantic encounters, and the gaps and gospels omitted in their renditions, this paper aims to illuminate the ever-changing nature of cultural interactions as time evolves.
Perspectives and Prejudices
The Travels of Marco Polo has most of the information produced by Polo being fascinated by the Eastern world where there are unknown and purportedly mysterious cultures. With a story written in the 13th century, Polo recounts the views of himself and the Europeans that were prevailing at his time, where this Eurocentric worldview considered the West superior to the East. The lands Polo travels are expressed in the distinctions of classifications, and above all, there is the element of supremacy which he does not hide beneath the veil of admirative marveling. In the East are described the marvels and riches of the kingdoms and the lands they colonize but this place is still compared to the sophistication of Western civilization concerning their opulence and advancement. It is the geopolitical context that dictates the way Polo depicts the East as the stranger through whom “foreign” aspects of the world are expressed. Polo soon observes the cultures of these non-Christian countries through an attitude of religious prejudice. He just sees them as curious creatures and not equal to each other.
Just like in pitfalls and power imbalance in the film Madam Butterfly directed by David Cronenberg whereby the romantic encounter of the Lancaster officer, Lieutenant Pinkerton, and the Japanese woman, Cho-Cho-San are nearly doomed by cultural misunderstandings. Set against the cultural invasion on Japanese shores by American imperialism, Pinkerton characterizes the Western stereotype of a thoughtless White man who plays with the love of Cho-Cho-San only to then leave her to die of a shattered heart. The movie undercuts colonial constructs of power and compares them to the least care about native cultures. This makes Pier face Western arrogance, an attitude that provides the least concern about the non-Western cultures. Also, Madam Butterfly throws light on racial discrimination and stereotypes of the West which is the fundament of the East. Cho-Cho-San is shown as the token “Oriental” woman who does not speak English and becomes Pinkerton’s dream lover. The film focuses on the issues of unequal power relations that specify cross-cultural romance, as instead of having to deal with the social costs, Pinkerton takes advantage of his privileged position as a European gentleman and abandons Cho-Cho-San.
The role of the narrators in the Travels of Marco Polo and Madam Butterfly and their Western audiences has mirrored the context in which they have been created and told various colonial power patterns and stereotypes. This is made visible in their portrayals of cross-cultural romantic interactions, where they reiterate the idea of cultural superiority and exoticism, leading to the narrator’s perception of the East as a mystical and captivating “other” to be conquered, mystified, or enshrined. When we look at these views and biases, we can identify the fundamental interests that lay behind cultural interactions and see the lasting influence of colonialism, which plays a key role in shaping the ways Western civilizations perceive the East.
Approaches and Perspectives
Unlike the ethnocentric views of Marco Polo’s Travels and Madame Butterfly which concentrate on the romantic cross-cultural relationships through a narrow-minded and egoistic perspective, Peter Hessler reveals a more empathic way of evolving the issues in Strange Stones. In the quest of American expatriates in China, Hessler scrutinizes the challenges of cross-cultural bonds between locals from the West and China through intentions in the form of personal tales. His method avoids the description of the world in terms of East vs West, instead digs deeper into the roots of communication and people’s identity in a highly globalized world. Hessler’s narratives illustrate the permeability and the complex nature of cultural barriers with characters stressed for the process of amalgamating mutual love regardless of language and cultural juxtapositions. When giving ample ground to both expats and locals, Hessler conveys a world that banishes the idea of cultural identity as a set of fixed traits and authenticity as an absolute indicator of a person’s affiliation to their group. Shinoda shows the multicultural romance as a location of bargaining whereby two parties are reinventing themselves in turn and adopting each other’s characters.
Furthermore, in the movie, directed by Henry Levin and played by Omar Sharif, Genghis Khan is also imbibed with a romantic subplot between Jamuga and Borte which acts as a backdrop to the overall storyline of conquest and building of empire. The scenario for the movie is the Empire belonging to the Mongols, which occurred during the XI century AD. Here the audience witnesses how despite all kinds of outside pressures, love and faithfulness can exist. Jamuga, who was a friend of Genghis Khan’s childhood, is at a crossroads in terms of whether he prefers Borte, the woman he loves, or his favorite Khan. Madam Butterfly’s love story displays a contrast with the cultural stereotyping and domestic exploitation in which Jamuga and Borte’s marriage is built. Instead, the relationship they share with Genghis Khan is one built on equality, mutual respect, and admiration. The most salient part of their love story is that despite their different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, they were unexpectedly in love even without thinking of ethnic or tribal affiliations. While the relationship between Demetrius and Chloe may spark up amidst the violence and wars of the times, it remains the only element of hope and humanity that lightens the dark world where wars are common. Consequently, when taking on “Love Chinese” and “Genghis Khan” by Hessler and the filmmakers, they challenge the founding views of cultural difference and hierarchy. Such movies highlight the position the individuals from minority groups and create, therefore, a more varied film with the narration of intimate relations over different social groups.
Inclusions and Omissions
The adroit use of romantic scenes in books and movies usually revolves around some specific inclusions as well as omissions of the events that happen daily and, ultimately, form the storyline which may be given some personal interpretations of the writers and directors. In the case of either Marco Polo’s Travels or Madame Butterfly the presence of romantic encounters tends to reflect and glorify Western outlooks and social structure while creating the artificial absence of the character’s power and agency of those who are outside the Western world. Love, from Polo’s viewpoint, as embodied by his descriptions of the different regions through which he explored, plays a minimal role in his journals at large. Although Polo could not have known it, his stories about foreign lands are extremely curious and full of wonder and surprise, but his documentary speaks only to a Western point of view and way of thinking. Traditionally, the voices and stories of non-Western characters are not given much importance or are not told at all, thus affirming the hierarchy created during a colonial encounter between indigenous and outsiders.
Akin to this, the love affair between Lieutenant Pinkerton and Cho-Cho-San is espoused by a Western prospect with little care given to Cho-Cho-San’s agency or perspective. The movie in many ways propagates the stand of, Asian women as being submissive and exotic, largely ignoring the complicating factors of couples from different cultural backgrounds. Through suppressing the views of non-Western characters, the outfit Madam Butterfly is making bastion of the colonial nature of power relations happening already and even propagating negative stereotypes. In contrast to the book Strange Stones and the movie Genghis Khan which are close in their approach rather than their perception of cross-cultural romantic relationships; these books present the perspectives from both Western and non-Western characters. The central idea of Strange Stones that deals with people’s experiences from the perspective of ex-pats and Chinese locals it creates a complex and emotionally-driven picture of cross-cultural connections. In Genghis Khan, the romantic subplot of Jamuga and Borte is different and is somehow opposite to the film’s bigger picture which is the story of conquest and empire-building. It gives importance to the ego and experiences of people from minority communities.
Conclusion
Overall, the treatment of romantic interactions in fictional and cinematographic expressions gives an in-depth account of the intricacies of cross-cultural intermingling which are often a mixture of joy and danger. As demonstrated in this essay, excerpts composed by Marco Polo, Strange Stones & the movies Genghis Khan & Madam Butterfly differently depict the theme of romantic encounters. As it occurs, by scrutinizing the biases and the mindset of the authors and the filmmakers through analyzing the sources and leaving out certain elements, we can grasp the broadened relationship between the natives being influenced by the foreigners throughout time. Through active participation in the deconstruction of these depictions, we can start to cultivate more collaborative and balanced versions of cross-cultural engagement that can advance in line with the growing population interconnectedness all over the world.
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