The Darcy Movie: Jane Austen Meets Barbie

Part of Virtual JaneCon 2024 - The popular blockbuster The Barbie Movie (2023) includes a brief reference to the 1995 Pride and Prejudice that can easily be dismissed as a funny, throwaway moment. However, a closer analysis reveals many crossover elements between the plots of The Barbie Movie and Pride and Prejudice, the reception to characters like Ken and Darcy, and the pop culture status of figures like Barbie and Jane Austen herself. This presentation will explore these surprising connections and invite the reader to ask the question - is it Kenough, or Austenough?
Elizabeth Gilliland Rands (she/her) is a professor of English Literature at the University of Mobile and completed her PhD from Louisiana State University in 2018 after writing a dissertation about Jane Austen adaptations. She is the author of the Austen University Mysteries series and has presented about Austen at two previous VirtualJaneCons, two JASNA AGMs, and other academic conferences.
Previous Virtual JaneCon videos:
2023 - Mr. Darcy's White Shirt: A Deep Dive - • Mr Darcy's White Shir...
2022 - Gender Subversions in Pride and Prejudice - • Mr Darcy's White Shir...
Other Writings -
"Great Adaptations: Bridgerton and the Female Gaze" - • Mr Darcy's White Shir...
Austen University Mysteries - www.amazon.com...
Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology - www.amazon.com...
Works Cited:
Acocella, Joan. “Turning the Page.” The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2012. www.newyorker....
Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, performances by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2023.
Caldwell, Sophie. “Barbie through the Years: How the Iconic Doll Has Evolved Since 1959.” Today, 19 Jul. 2023, www.today.com/....
Dickson, E.J. “The Right-Wing Backlash Against Barbie is Hilariously Flopping.” Rolling Stone, 19 Jul. 2023, www.rollingsto....
Holland, Brynn. “Barbie Through the Ages.” History.com, 14 Jul. 2023, www.history.co....
Kipling, Rudyard. “The Janeites.” Jane Austen Centre, janeausten.co..... Accessed 21 May 2024.
Levison, Amanda. “Barbie: Friend or Foe? Unraveling the Controversy Surrounding the Iconic Doll.” Neurofeedback and Counseling Center of Pennsylvania, www.neuroandco.... Accessed 21 May 2024.
Mattel. “About Barbie.” Barbie.com, 2022, www.barbiemedi.... Accessed 21 May 2024.
McRobbie, Linda Rodriguez. “7 People Who Hated Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.” MentalFloss, 15 May 2021. www.mentalflos...
Palumbo, Jennifer “Jay.” “How a New Study Shows Benefits of Doll Play Through Neuroscience.” Forbes, 8 Feb. 2022. www.forbes.com...
Pride and Prejudice, directed by Simon Langton, performances by Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. BBC 1, 1995.
Reynolds, Daniel. “What Barbie Means to Gay Boys.” Out.com, 19 July 2023. www.out.com/ou...
Seltzer, Sarah. “How Barbie Helped Raise a Generation of Feminists.” Time, 19 Jul. 2023. time.com/62955....
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[@mariahmillington4239]

Great talk! There are so many similarities between the 1995 P&P and the Barbie movie that I hadn't picked up on- I feel I need to watch Barbie again!
Loved your discussion on feminism in the two media, particularly your point on how we have to justify the need for "feminine" things like Barbie dolls whereas "masculine" things are taken at face value.

[@lissag7]

Thank you so much! I think re-watching both movies is a great idea! :)

[@MelsDaven]

This was really interesting!!

[@lissag7]

Thank you!