Tea at Trianon: Feminism, Barbie, and the End of Woman

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Feminism, Barbie, and the End of Woman

I loved playing with Barbie dolls as a child. I dressed my dolls in historical costumes and acted out my own stories. I am hearing mixed things about the film. From Carrie Gress at The Daily Wire:

The ideological roots of feminism are at least 200 years old, but somehow, as a movement, it has been able to rebrand itself anew every few generations to maintain relevance. The essentials to the feminist movement – free love, the occult, and smashing the patriarchy – were first brought together as the “women’s revolution” by poet Percy Shelley. I discovered this when researching my forthcoming book, “The End of Woman: How Smashing the Patriarchy Has Destroyed Us” (Regnery, August 2023). Inspired by the mother-in-law he never met, Mary Wollstonecraft, Shelley took her ideas and added them to his own version of what female freedom should look like. While his wife was writing “Frankenstein,” Shelley created his own creature: the character of Cythna, who was the first independent woman, disconnected from her parents, husband, and children. Curiously, the only relationship she had was with Satan. Cythna became a beacon for budding feminists in the 1800s and beyond.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton is perhaps the best-known 19th century feminist influenced by Shelley as she fought for women’s suffrage. The movement took significant turns in the 1900s, first with the triumph of the suffrage movement after the end of World War I. Thereafter, it was adrift without a cohesive goal, but eventually mingled with the communist party in the ’30s, ’40s, up till the second wave of the 1960s. The ’60s and ’70s ushered in a much more pronounced feminist movement that gave us the new independent woman through a toxic blend of TV, the New Left, and the ubiquitous visuals featuring sexy and stylish women, but all the while, the original model remained: a blend of free love, occult, and smashing the patriarchy.

Later waves haven’t quite had the splash of the second wave and as those second wavers have aged, the movement has become a bit frayed at the edges. While some are in their 60s, like Oprah Winfrey, Whoppi Goldberg, and Madonna, most of the mavens are now 70+ years of age, such as Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, Joy Behar, Anna Wintour, and Dianne Feinstein. Its embrace of the LGBTQ has also brought in a cast of characters that give feminism the look of a party scene from “Trolls.” The aged and awkward have taken the sheen off the movement, especially among the normals of Gen X and Gen Z.

But now, “Barbie” comes to the rescue. Barbie is young, beautiful, bubbly, and has the benefit of nostalgia for most American women. With this movie, Barbie takes on yet another new frontier – saving feminism from its tired old self. (Read more.)

I do wonder if people are reading more into the film than is actually there. However, here is an interesting reflection. From Compact Mag:

Gerwig’s Barbie points instead to a dialectical exit: Women can be mothers or not; they can take up any number of roles, or none; they can conform to femininity or look weird. Whatever, it doesn’t matter. But there are limits: We are past the moment of the free-floating signifier, of womanhood as a mere “identity.” The doll is born into suffering. To have a male or female body is to suffer and feel in different ways: We forget this if we reduce each other to mere signs. To be human is also to have to choose—an existential Barbie can hide this possibility from herself for a while, but facing every maiden is death, behind every Barbie, an Oppenheimer. (Read more.)

I always wanted the Marie-Antoinette Barbie. And there are many other historical Barbie dolls, too. From Historically Obsessed:

"Carrying a handcrafted porcelain pair of roses, Barbie® doll is the height of royalty as Marie Antoinette who became the Queen of France when her husband was crowned King Louis XVI in the 18th century. She wears a regal blue gown and matching bodice that is embellished with touches of golden lace. Draped with golden fringe, the generous layers of her extravagant gown are decorated with golden tassels and hide her full-length pantaloons and the blue satin ribbons on her shoes. A matching hat topped with feathers completes her ensemble. She wears an extravagant rhinestone necklace that complements her dramatic ensemble". Amazon: Marie Antoinette Barbie (Read more.)

Empress Josephine Barbie

Empress Sisi Barbie

There are Barbie collectors. From National World:

The world is currently experiencing a Barbie revival thanks to the 2023 film's inescapable marketing campaign. And interest in the doll is only going to increase when the Greta Gerwig-directed movie hits cinemas on Friday (21 July). Featuring Margot Robbie in the lead role, alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken, the hype has sent fans into a pink-hued frenzy and interest in the toy itself, skyrocketing. Mattel has been making Barbie dolls since 1959 with the brand constantly evolving. In a more recent bid to better represent women of all shapes and sizes, the dolls are now available in different body types including petite, tall and curvy. Over the years, must-have special edition dolls have been on every child's Christmas list with collector's editions coveted by fans both young and old. And if you happen to have one of these desirable dolls - including one celebrating Karl Lagerfeld's statement style and the brand's first doll ever released - you could be sitting on a small fortune. (Read more.)