A common adage goes that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. This implies that there is no one-size-fits-all definition for beauty. As such, actual beauty cannot be standardized. However, the emergence of fashion and trends in the contemporary world has made the concept of beauty to be a promoter of self-esteem as well as sense of personal identity. Therefore, young women are currently exploring distinctive exhibitions of beauty that differentiates them from other women and improves their sense of identity and self-esteem. It has ceased to be a normative concept, and has taken a new twist replete with myths and misconceptions that adopts beauty in the definition of social, class, and gender statuses. From this standpoint, it is noteworthy that the much publicized beauty is a product of social relations and cultural practices which play a central role in the commercialization of the beauty and fashion industry. The female body has since become a cultural medium where women encounter undue pressure to conform to particular standards and advance specific ideals (Perrin 83). Emerging concepts in marketing are among the influential factors that continue to change the perception of female beauty, revolutionize and set standards on which women should benchmark their beauty. The range of issues that young women face in their quest to conform to such standards has elicited reactions from various quarters as illustrated in Marge Piercy’s Barbie Doll.
Barbie Doll is one of the common and widely received narrative poems in history. Published in 1971 at the height of second-wave feminism (Perrin 83), the poem attempts to point out the stereotypical role of a patriarchal society in exerting unnecessary pressure on women through unrealistic expectations. Marge (7) tells of a girl who ends up losing their life in her quest to abide by the societal expectations and uphold the set standards. Beginning with a little girl, the poem chronologically presents the events in the life of the girl through purposeful syntax and a wide range of literary devices. The major themes of the poem trickle down from the sexism as a major societal issues. The following discussion seeks to examine gender issues that young women face regarding beauty standards, while using the poem as a point of reference.