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A Brief Examination of Madama Butterfly's Tragic Element

Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly is an intense display of one woman's tragic spiral into the depths of false hope and despair ending in her death. The tragic element in this story has many layers, because it derives from the shortcomings that each character possesses. In addition the tragic element, Cio Cio San's decline and death, is a consequence of the clashing of many cultural variables.
The blame for the tragedy is often placed squarely on Pinkerton. Often, I will hear in discussion among opera enthusiasts, "Pinkerton has got to be one of the most hated characters in opera and, from a performer's perspective, one of the least appreciated roles when it comes to audience's reactions at the end of a show." His behavior is certainly one of many factors that contribute to the sad conclusion of the story. Yet his is the "all the world is my playground" view typical of the somewhat imperialistic America of the......

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Approximate Word Count: 725
Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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