Gonick "Betw. ..Reviving Ophelia" - Twilight's Bella #8

In Maria Gonick's article entitled "Between Girl Power and Reviving Ophelia: Constituting the Neoliberal Girl Subject" states that, "Ophelia is shadow twin to the idealized empowered girl.  Without intervention she is at risk of failing to produce the required attributes of the neoliberal feminine subject (15)."

The book Reviving Ophelia uses Opehlia, a Shakespeare character, to represent the modern girl.  Girls in this book are "vulnerable, passive, & voiceless (1)" and need someone to rescue them from the oppressive pressures ascribe to them once they enter young adulthood.

Bella, from the Twilight movies can be seen as a modern day Ophelia subject in pop culture. In the series, Bella, a 17-year-old girl falls in love with her classmate Edward, a vampire.  In order to be with him she must give up everything she has her family, life, identity in order to merge fully into his.   Her marrying him, being bitten, and then bearing his child accomplishes this in Breaking Dawn, third film.  There is an analogy throughout this film with premarital sex (Bella-Edward) and death/ sin.  The urges for Bella’s blood are uncontrollable for Edward especially when they become sexual. Bella’s sexual desires must be controlled for an higher purpose which is matrimony.  Her sexual development begins and ends with Edward in this series.  Her search for an identity that was implied in the beginning of the first film ceases once she enters into a relationship with Edward.  She serves as a vessel for his desires.  Bella is not a typical neoliberal female subject because she is not fully independent nor overtly sexual.  She observes the decisions that take place around her and comments during the narration about them.  Through her actions, she does not directly change the outcome (throughout the first and second films).  She must be saved throughout the entire series from otherworldly beings such as werewolves and vampires.

Zeisler, Feminism & Pop Cutlure, Ch 4 - Bridget Jones Diary - # 7

Zeisler states that, "[Ally Mcbeal] was irritating enough to knock down but conflicted enough to be held up as 'proof' that women didn't really want feminism-they just, in the end want to be loved and validated (99)."

Trailer for Bridget's Jones Diary (2001)

This critique could be applied to another popular female character known as Bridget Jones.  The film Bridget Jones Diary is based on the book by Helen Fielding. It tells the story of a thirty something woman who works for a Publicity firm in England.  She frequently worries about two things being single thus dying alone being eaten by dogs and losing weight.  Bridget's shaky self esteem was used for comedic purposes.  She frequently drinks when she is in nervous situations or feels unsure of herself (dinners with her married friends, social gatherings).  Her career is only worth mentioning due to her crush on her boss.  It is her romantic life that is the defining part of her identity.  If she loses weight she will gain more self esteem and thus attract more men.  Both Ally and Bridget self-narrate their thoughts frequently to the audience.  Ally through her daydreams at the firm and Bridget through her diary and inner monologue that plays out throughout the film.  These females fears of being alone is something that is taught by society.  It is common to hear statements toward older females who are single "Why aren't you married?, "biological clock", "It's too late."  Bridget is often derided or openly pitied by her married friends  for being single at her age.  For men the option of finding love is never time specific so there isn't the same pressure on them to lock down a spouse right away.  For females it is much harder because as they get older, the males their age are either married or are desire younger females.  This leaves a lot of females out and creates a greater sense of competition.  For Bridget her romance with her boss Daniel ends when he cheats on her with a more conventionally attractive younger woman.