Intro Paragraph: Revised

In her poem “Barbie Doll,” Marge Piercy uses symbolism of traditional female toys to portray the struggles of a young girl growing up in a world where people only judge her for the way she looks. People believe the only way to be happy is to be perfect on the outside because this is what they are presented with from birth. Marge Piercy’s poem is called “Barbie Doll” to symbolize what the expected female role is, in comparison to a doll. Throughout her poem, Marge Piercy constantly uses symbolism of traditional female toys to depict what the world thinks the perfect women should aspire to be.

In her poem “Barbie Doll,” Marge Piercy uses symbolism of traditional female toys and stereotypes of women to portray the struggles of a young girl growing up in a world where people only judge her for the way she looks. The girl believes she must be perfect on the outside if she wants to be happy. Marge Piercy’s poem is called “Barbie Doll” to symbolize the expected female role, by comparing people to a non-life like toy; the Barbie doll. Throughout her poem Marge Piercy uses symbolism of traditional female toys and stereotypes of women to depict how the world thinks the perfect women should aspire to be. 

Portrayals of Ophelia

Ophelia is a young noble woman in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare. Ophelia is the sister to Laertes and daughter to Polonius. When we first meet Ophelia, her family treats her like a dumb and naive woman that she is not. She actually is smarter than what her family believes. When Laertes is lecturing her about Hamlet, we learn that she has a mind of her own,” I shall the effect of this good lesson keep/ As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,/ Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,/ Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,/ Whiles, like a puffed and reckless libertine,/ Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads/ And recks not his own rede.” (Shakespeare 1.3.49-55). What Ophelia is saying is she will keep his advice close to her heart, but he should put his money where his mouth is and not be a hypocrite.

In the Zeffrelli version of Hamlet, Ophelia is portrayed as very innocent. Also the fact that some of her lines were cut makes the audiences believe she is thoughtless too. In act 1 scene 3 of the Zeffrelli version, Ophelia is depicted as someone who is distant to her brother and doesn't want to listen to him because she is getting distracted by anything or anyone around her. Also she is showed as kind of unimportant to this the scene always being in the background when Polonius arrives. In this version of Hamlet, Ophelia is portrayed in a way that I did not imagine when I was reading the book itself.  

Claudius, King of Denmark: First Impression

When we first meet Claudius, he is holding court and we learn that his brother died about a month ago. He thanks his courtiers for the support and hopes to bring joy by announcing his marriage to the people. “With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole,” (Shakespeare 1.2.12-13). This shows that Claudius is trying to weight out the bad with the good. I believe he is doing this for his people so they can move on from Hamlets death. 

Claudius is asking hamlet to stay “We pray you, throw to earth this unprevailing woe and think of us as of a father; for let the world take note, you are the most immediate to the throne, and with no less nobility of love than that which dearest father bears his son Do I impart toward you.”(1.2.110-116)   Even though announcing the marriage was a good thing, still not letting Hamlet go to university in Wittenberg shows he cares about his country but also that he might be suspicious of Hamlet. Like the old saying goes “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” I believe that Claudius is scared hamlet might foment a rebellion.

Claudius asks Hamlet, “How is it that the clouds still hang on you” (1.2.68). This meaning Hamlet is still in his mourning clothes from his father’s death. Claudius urges Hamlet to take to take them off, but he does not. Claudius replies with telling him that all fathers die and their fathers die and it is alright to mourn, but mourning for too long is inappropriate. I believe that Hamlet should be able to mourn for as long as he wants, for it was his father’s death but Claudius is right is saying that mourning for too long is inappropriate especially for the person next in line for the throne. This shows Claudius does care about Hamlet and truly wants him to get over his father’s death for the benefit of his country.

 

Short Works Process Essay

Symbolism of Traditional Female Toys in Barbie Doll 

In her poem “Barbie Doll,” Marge Piercy uses symbolism of traditional female toys to portray the struggles of a young girl growing up in a world where people only judge her for the way she looks. Peoplebelieve the only way to be happy is to be perfect on the outside because this is what they are presented with from birth. Marge Piercy’s poem is called Barbie Doll to symbolize what the expected female role is, in comparison to a doll. Throughout her poem, Marge Piercy constantly uses symbolism of traditional female toys to depict what the world thinks the perfect women should aspire to be.

In the beginning of the poem, Marge Piercy Presents  the girl child with what the world believes the perfect and happy women should be with the use of symbolism. "The girlchild was born as usual, and presented dolls that did pee-pee"(Piercy lines 1-2). These dolls symbolizes what a women should aspire to be and this is presented to girls from birth. It reveals to the girlchild what the world wants out of her, which is only looks The girlchild is also presented with cliche female items."And miniature GE stoves and irons/ and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy."(lines 3-4). GE stoves and irons symbolize the stereotypical image of the ideal housewife. Wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy symbolize what the world thinks women and girls should be thinking about, which is their appearance. Marge Piercy uses symbolism of traditional female toys is to illustrate what the world thinks the perfect women should desire to be and it is reflected when this “girlchild” is presented with it from birth. 

When the girlchild hit puberty, Marge Piercy uses symbolism of traditional female toys to demonstrate how we will change ourselves to live up to the world’s expectations. When the girlchild is growing up, people’s expectations become more real to her.  “She was healthy, tested intelligent, / possessed strong arms and back, / she went to and from apologizing,/ and everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs”(lines 7-11). This symbolizes how people push pass the good and only see the flaws in others. The girlchild is constantly trying to please others and it is reflected when she makes a drastic move.“So she cut off her nose and her legs and offered them up.”(lines 17-18). This symbolizes how people will do anything to live up to the world’s anticipations. Marge Piercy’s use of symbolism helps us to perceive the significance of how the world thinks the perfect women should aspire to be.

By the end of the poem the girl is still only judged by the way she looks and it is presented in the use of symbolism. The girlchild is at her funeral, “In the casket displayed on satin she lay/ with the undertakers cosmetic painted on,/ a turned-up putty nose./ Dressed in a pink and white nightie,”(lines 19-22) A turned-up putty nose symbolizes how the girl is still expected to be perfect even though the nose is unrealistic. A pink and white nightie symbolize femininity and purity and this implies that even after she is dead, people still believe she has to be a certain way.“Doesn’t she look pretty? Everyone said. /Consummation at last.” (lines 23-24). It was not until death that everyone accepted the girl, But they still had to change her to live up to expectations. Our world believes that a woman has to be a certain way if she wants to be happy, and Marge Piercy’s uses of symbolism of traditional toys portray this  by the end of her poem.

Marge Piercy’s use of symbolism helps to reveal that women have an enormous pressure to be a certain way in the world. From a girl’s birth to their death, many of them are  only thinking about their looks. Marge Piercy wrote this poem 1969, and still today we read it in our English classes because we realize nothing has changed and the world still believes the women has to be a certain way if she wants to be accepted. Piercy’s use of symbolism of traditional female toys helps us to understand the true meaning behind her audacious poem Barbie Doll.

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