Marge Simpson
{{short description|Character from The Simpsons franchise}}
{{redirect|Marjorie Simpson|the Australian architect|Marjorie Simpson (architect)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Marge Simpson
| series = The Simpsons
| image = Marge Simpson.png
| first_minor = Good Night
| first_major = The Tracey Ullman Show
| first_date = April 19, 1987
| creator = Matt Groening
| designer = Matt Groening
| voice = Julie Kavner
| occupation = Housewife
| spouse = Homer Simpson
| nationality = American
| children = {{Plainlist|
}}
| family = {{Plainlist|
- Clancy Bouvier (father; deceased)
- Jacqueline Bouvier (mother)
- Patty Bouvier (sister)
- Selma Bouvier (sister)
}}
| relatives = {{Plainlist|
- Eunice Bouvier (half-great-aunt)
- Gladys Gurney (aunt, deceased)
- Lou Gurney (uncle, deceased)
- Ling Bouvier (adoptive niece)
}}
| full_name = Marjorie Bouvier Simpson ({{née}} Bouvier)
| home = 742 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, United States
| gender =
| franchise = [The Simpsons]
}}
Marjorie Bouvier "Marge" Simpson{{cite episode |title=Convenience Airways |episode-link=Convenience Airways |series=The Simpsons |network=Fox |airdate=December 8, 2024 |season=36 |number=8}} ({{née|Bouvier}}) is a character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family (The Simpsons). Voiced by Julie Kavner,{{Sfn|Groening|2010|p=1099}} she first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on Life in Hell but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He based the character on his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three seasons, the Simpson family received their own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989.
Marge is the matriarch of the Simpson family. With her husband Homer, she has three children: Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to The Simpsons—including video games, The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons Ride, commercials, and comic books—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.
Marge's distinctive blue beehive hairstyle was inspired by a combination of the Bride's in Bride of Frankenstein and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of The Tracey Ullman Show, was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992. She was also nominated for an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in The Simpsons Movie. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Role in ''The Simpsons''
The Simpsons uses a floating timeline (the characters do not physically age), and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.{{sfn|Turner|2004|pp=78–79}} Marge Simpson is married to Homer and mother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson.{{sfn|Turner|2004|pp=239–240}} She was raised by her parents, Jacqueline and Clancy Bouvier.{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was |episode-link=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David |network=Fox |airdate=January 31, 1991 |season=02 |number=12}} She has a pair of sisters, the joyless Patty and Selma, both of whom vocally disapprove of Homer. In "The Way We Was" (season two, 1991), it is revealed via flashback that Marge attended Springfield High School, and in her final year met Homer, after they both were sent to detention—Homer for smoking in the bathroom with Barney, and Marge for burning her bra in a feminist protest. She was at first wary of Homer, but agreed to go to the prom with him, although she ended up going with Artie Ziff after Homer received tutoring lessons as a means to get to know her better, while knowing that she needed to sleep for a school meet. However, she regretted going with Artie when he started to pressure her to have sex after prom. At the end of the evening, while Artie drove her home after receiving a slap, she spied Homer walking along the side of the road with the corsage meant for her. After hearing her parents voicing their negative opinions about Homer, she took her own car and went back to give him a ride. She then told Homer she should've gone to the prom with him and he fixes her snapped shoulder strap with the corsage. During the ride, he tells her he will hug her and kiss her and never be able to let her go. After the two had been dating for several years, Marge discovered she was pregnant with Bart, and she and Homer were married in a small wedding chapel across the state line.{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge |episode-link=I Married Marge |series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Lynch, Jeffrey |network=Fox |airdate=December 26, 1991 |season=03 |number=12}} Bart was born soon after, and the couple bought their first house. The episode "That '90s Show" (season 19, 2008) contradicted much of the established back-story; for example, it was revealed that Marge and Homer were childless in the early 1990s although past episodes had suggested Bart and Lisa were born in the 1980s.{{cite episode |title=That '90s Show |episode-link=That '90s Show (The Simpsons) |series=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=January 27, 2008 |season=19 |number=11}}
As with many Simpsons characters, Marge's age and birthday changes to serve the story. In season one (1990) episodes "Life on the Fast Lane" and "Some Enchanted Evening", Marge was said to be 34.{{cite episode |title=Some Enchanted Evening |episode-link=Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons) |series=The Simpsons |credits=Groening, Matt; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David; Butterworth, Kent |network=Fox |airdate=May 13, 1990 |season=01 |number=13}}{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane |episode-link=Life on the Fast Lane |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David |network=Fox |airdate=March 18, 1990 |season=01 |number=09}} This is also the age given in The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family, a book written by The Simpsons
Marge has been nonworking for most of the series, choosing to be a homemaker and take care of her family. However, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant in "Marge Gets a Job" (season four, 1992);{{cite episode |title=Marge Gets a Job |episode-link=Marge Gets a Job |series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Lynch, Jeffrey |network=Fox |airdate=November 5, 1992 |season=04 |number=07}} selling houses in "Realty Bites" (season nine, 1997);{{cite episode |title=Realty Bites |episode-link=Reality Bites |series=The Simpsons |credits=Greaney, Dan; Scott, Swinton O. III |network=Fox |airdate=December 7, 1997 |season=09 |number=09}} owning her own pretzel business in "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" (season eight, 1997),{{cite episode |title=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson |episode-link=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson |series=The Simpsons |credits=Crittenden, Jennifer; Sheetz, Chuck |network=Fox |airdate=January 19, 1997 |season=08 |number=11}} and working at an erotic bakery in "Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes" (season 20, 2008).{{cite episode |title=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes |episode-link=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes |series=The Simpsons |credits=Curran, Kevin; Kramer, Lance |network=Fox |airdate=September 28, 2008 |season=20 |number=01}} While Marge has never expressed discontent with her role as a homemaker, she has become bored with it. In "The Springfield Connection" (season six, 1995), Marge decided that she needed more excitement in her life and became a police officer. However, by the end of the episode, she became upset with the corruption in the force and quit.{{cite episode |title=The Springfield Connection |episode-link=The Springfield Connection |series=The Simpsons |credits=Collier, Jonathan; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=May 5, 1995 |season=06 |number=23}}
Character
=Creation=
File:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore -retouch.jpg
Matt Groening first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1987 in the lobby of producer James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of animated shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show, and had intended to present an adaptation of his Life in Hell comic strip. When he realized that animating Life in Hell would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction{{cite video |people=BBC |year=2000 |title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6-minute edit for the season 1 DVD) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/ |format=DVD |location=UK |publisher=20th Century Fox |access-date=July 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211081722/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/ |archive-date=February 11, 2017 |url-status=live }} and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating, "It's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."{{cite news |title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson |author=Kuipers, Dean |date=May 12, 1997 |work=Dayton Daily News}}{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al |year=2007 |title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes |medium=DVD |work=The Sun}} Marge's beehive hairstyle was inspired by the titular Bride in Bride of Frankenstein and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html |title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |access-date=October 31, 2008 |author=Soloman, Deborah |date=July 22, 2007 |work=The New York Times Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108004049/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html |archive-date=November 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html |title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family |access-date=October 31, 2008 |author=Rose, Joseph |date=August 3, 2007 |work=The Oregonian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525111318/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html |archive-date=May 25, 2012 }}
Marge debuted with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night".{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997 |p=14}}{{Sfn|Groening|2010|p=20}} In 1989, the shorts were adapted into The Simpsons, a half-hour series airing on the Fox Network. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.{{cite web |url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32 |title=3rd Degree: Harry Shearer |access-date=October 30, 2008 |author=Kuipers, Dean |date=April 15, 2004 |publisher=Los Angeles: City Beat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605005153/http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32 |archive-date=June 5, 2008}}
Matt Groening believes that episodes featuring Marge are among the most difficult episodes to write. Bill Oakley believes that the "junior" writers are usually given Marge episodes because he and writing partner Josh Weinstein were given several to write during their first season.Groening, Matt; Oakley, Bill. (2004). Commentary for "Marge in Chains", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox. During the third season of the show, most of the writers focused on Bart and Homer, so David M. Stern decided to write a Marge episode, which became "Homer Alone" (season three, 1992). He felt that they could achieve a "deeper vein" of comedy in an episode where Marge has a nervous breakdown, and James L. Brooks quickly approved.Stern, David M. in a letter that is read on the commentary by Dan Castellaneta. (2003). Commentary for "Lisa the Greek", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
=Design=
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "Fear of Flying", in The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox. The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings. To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door, it would spring back and forth. This was never used.Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "Summer of 4 Ft. 2", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox. Groening's original plan for Marge's hair was that it would conceal large, Life in Hell-esque rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for The Simpsons.Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "Selma's Choice", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
=Voice=
Marge's voice is performed by Julie Kavner, who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of The Tracey Ullman Show. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member Dan Castellaneta to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html |title=D'oh, you're the voices |access-date=October 30, 2008 |date=February 27, 2003 |author=Lee, Luaine |work=The Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102224412/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/doh-the-voice-of-homer-is-deceivingly-deadpan |title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan |access-date=October 30, 2008 |date=August 18, 2008 |author=Elber, Lynn |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703090128/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C129665%2C00.html |archive-date=July 3, 2013 |url-status=live}} Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote The Simpsons on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people."{{cite news |title=Meet the Simpsons |date=May 6, 2004 |work=Daily Express |author=Sheridan, Peter}} Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."{{cite news |title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=September 18, 1994 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |author=Weiskind, Ron}}
Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's, who has a "honeyed gravel voice"{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 |title=Darling! Listen to Me |access-date=November 23, 2008 |date=January 26, 1992 |author=De Vries, Hilary |work=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209000856/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 |archive-date=December 9, 2008 |url-status=live }} which she says is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords."{{cite news |title=The actress with the one-of-a-kind voice stars in Nora Ephron's comedy 'This is my Life.' |date=March 13, 1992 |work=Orlando Sentinel |author=Haun, Harry}} While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."{{cite news |title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work |date=December 31, 1996 |work=The Hamilton Spectator |author=Duffy, Mike}} In The Simpsons Movie, some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html |title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews |author=Roberts, Sheila |access-date=October 30, 2008 |publisher=Movies Online |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104132905/http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html |archive-date=January 4, 2009 }} Kristen Bell provided Marge's singing voice in "The Star of the Backstage".{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=William|date=July 24, 2021|title=Kristen Bell to serve as Marge's new singing voice on The Simpsons premiere |url=https://www.avclub.com/kristen-bell-to-serve-as-marges-new-singing-voice-on-th-1847356532 |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=The A.V. Club}}
Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices. However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html |title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share |access-date=October 30, 2008 |date=April 3, 2004 |author=Glaister, Dan |work=The Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202171844/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |url-status=live }} The issue was resolved a month later,{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/simpsons-cast-goes-back-to-work/ |title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work |access-date=October 30, 2008 |date=May 1, 2004 |publisher=CBS News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913212830/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml |archive-date=September 13, 2008 |url-status=live }} and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode. After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.{{cite news |title=Simpsons cast sign new pay deal |work=BBC News |date=June 3, 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm |access-date=October 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914050545/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm |archive-date=September 14, 2008 |url-status=live }} Three years later, with Fox threatening to cancel the series unless production costs were cut, Kavner and the other cast members accepted a 30 percent pay cut, down to just over $300,000 per episode.{{cite news |last=Block |first=Alex Ben |title='The Simpsons' Renewed for Two More Seasons |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/simpsons-renewed-two-more-seasons-245748 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=October 15, 2011 |date=October 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010170625/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/simpsons-renewed-two-more-seasons-245748 |archive-date=October 10, 2011 |url-status=live }}
=Personality=
Marge is generally a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with the antics of her children and her oafish husband.{{sfn|Turner|2004|pp=239–240}} While she usually takes her family's problems with good humor, in "Homer Alone" (season three, 1992), her workload and resultant stress caused her to have a nervous breakdown. After spending time at "Rancho Relaxo", during which her family barely coped with her absence, she returned refreshed and everyone promised to help out more often.{{cite episode |title=Homer Alone |episode-link=Homer Alone |series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=February 6, 1992 |season=03 |number=15}}
Marge often provides a grounding opinion for Homer and their marriage has often been shaky. Marge admits that she "put[s] up with a lot in [their] marriage," and has left Homer or thrown him out of the house on several occasions.{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage |episode-link=Secrets of a Successful Marriage |series=The Simpsons |credits=Daniels, Greg; Baeza, Carlos |network=Fox |airdate=May 19, 1994 |season=05 |number=22}}{{cite episode |title=The Cartridge Family |episode-link=The Cartridge Family |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Michels, Pete |network=Fox |airdate=November 2, 1997 |season=09 |number=05}}{{cite episode |title=Bonfire of the Manatees |episode-link=Bonfire of the Manatees |series=The Simpsons |credits=Greaney, Dan; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=September 11, 2005 |season=17 |number=01}} One of the first such episodes to depict this is "Secrets of a Successful Marriage" (season five, 1994), where Homer starts teaching an education class on how to build a successful marriage. He is at first unsuccessful, but gains the interest of the class when he starts giving away family secrets, many of which concern Marge. Upon finding this out, Marge is incensed and throws him out of the house. The next day, Homer is dirty and disheveled, and begs Marge to take him back, saying the one thing he can offer her that nobody else can is "complete and utter dependence." At first, Marge does not see that as a benefit, but eventually admits that he "really [does] make a gal feel needed." Episodes that depict marital problems have become more frequent in recent seasons of the show.
Through it all, Marge has remained faithful to Homer, despite temptations to the contrary such as the one in "Life on the Fast Lane" (season one, 1990), where she resists Frenchman Jacques and instead chooses to remain with Homer.{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane |episode-link=Life on the Fast Lane |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David |network=Fox |airdate=March 18, 1990 |season=01 |number=09}}
Marge is more caring, understanding, and nurturing toward Bart than Homer, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. In "Marge Be Not Proud" (season seven, 1995), she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. In the beginning of the episode, Bart protested her "over-mothering", but as she started becoming distant, he felt bad about it and made up with her.{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud |episode-link=Marge Be Not Proud |series=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; Moore, Steven Dean |network=Fox |airdate=December 17, 1995 |season=07 |number=11}} Marge has expressed understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing ... Of course, it makes him do bad things."{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined |episode-link=Homer Defined |series=The Simpsons |credits=Gewirtz, Howard; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=October 17, 1991 |season=03 |number=05}}
Marge has a good relationship with Lisa and the two are shown to get along quite well. Marge over-mothers Maggie, which causes her to become too clingy and dependent on Marge.
Marge maintains a good relationship with her mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma, though they disapprove of Homer and are vocal about it. Marge has tolerated their criticism, but has occasionally lost patience with them, once referring to them as "ghouls".{{cite episode |title=Mother Simpson |episode-link=Mother Simpson |series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Silverman, David |network=Fox |airdate=November 19, 1995 |season=07 |number=08}}
Marge's late father Clancy is rarely referred to in the series and has had speaking parts in only two episodes. It was revealed in "Fear of Flying" (season six, 1994) that Clancy told Marge that he was a pilot, but in reality, he was a flight attendant. Marge discovered this one day and developed aerophobia.{{cite episode |title=Fear of Flying |episode-link=Fear of Flying (The Simpsons) |series=The Simpsons |credits=Sacks, David; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=December 18, 1994 |season=06 |number=11}} In "Jazzy and the Pussycats" (season 18, 2006), Homer casually mentions that they once attended his funeral.{{cite episode |title=Jazzy and the Pussycats |episode-link=Jazzy and the Pussycats |series=The Simpsons |credits=Chun, Daniel; Moore, Steven Dean |network=Fox |airdate=September 17, 2006 |season=18 |number=02}} It was finally revealed that Clancy died of lung cancer in season 27 episode "Puffless".{{cite episode |title=Puffless |episode-link=Puffless |series=The Simpsons |season=27 |number=03}}
Marge believes she has higher morals and is more law-abiding than most other characters, once leading a family values crusade against the violent The Itchy & Scratchy Show{{cite episode |title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge |episode-link=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Reardon, Jim |network=Fox |airdate=December 20, 1990 |season=02 |number=09}} and being a prominent member of the "Citizens' Committee on Moral Hygiene".{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark |episode-link=Bart After Dark |series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Polcino, Dominic |network=Fox |airdate=November 24, 1996 |season=08 |number=05}} She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms.{{cite episode |title=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) |episode-link=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) |series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes |network=Fox |airdate=December 16, 1993 |season=05 |number=10}}
Marge is the only member of the family who encourages, and often forces, church attendance. In "Homer the Heretic" (season four, 1992), Homer starts skipping church and Marge tells him "don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win."{{cite episode |title=Homer the Heretic |episode-link=Homer the Heretic |series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Reardon, Jim |network=Fox |airdate=October 8, 1992 |season=04 |number=03}} Yet, in some episodes, Marge's stereotypical attitude seems to affect her relationship with Lisa, who is a feminist. In "Lisa the Skeptic" (season nine, 1997), an "angel skeleton" is discovered, much to Lisa's skepticism. As Lisa rants about the people who believe it is an angel, Marge informs her that she also believes it is an angel. She tells Lisa, "There has to be more to life than just what we see, everyone needs something to believe in."{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Skeptic |episode-link=Lisa the Skeptic |series=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David S.; Affleck, Neil |network=Fox |airdate=November 23, 1997 |season=09 |number=08}}
In spite of her highly debatable moral stances, Marge struggles with vices, such as a gambling addiction. While Marge has learned to cope with her addiction, it has never completely disappeared and remains an underlying problem that is referenced occasionally on the show.Reiss, Mike. (2003). Commentary for "Lisa the Greek", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox Marge is also known to suffer OCD as shown when she won a house cleaning but she then cleaned the whole house herself and it thus led to her accidentally causing her to suffer Amnesia. Another time is when the family had to house sit for Mr. Burns, she forced Lisa and herself to clean the entire mansion.
Politically, Marge generally aligns with the Democratic Party, having supported the candidacy of her state's progressive governor Mary Bailey,{{cite episode |title=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish |episode-link=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish |series=The Simpsons |credits=Simon, Sam; Swartzwelder, John; Archer, Wes |network=Fox |airdate=November 1, 1990 |season=02 |number=04}} and voted for Jimmy Carter in both of his presidential elections. She was also deeply affected by the death of Lyndon B. Johnson, to the point where she wanted him to be alive so badly that she kept seeing him everywhere she looked.
Reception
At the 44th Primetime Emmy Awards, Kavner received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for voicing Marge in the season three episode "I Married Marge".{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search |publisher=Emmys.org |access-date=February 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113103340/http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |archive-date=January 13, 2008 }} In 2004, Kavner and Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer) won a Young Artist Award for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm |title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees |access-date=January 18, 2008 |publisher=Youngartistawards.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110802044855/http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm |archive-date=August 2, 2011 }} For her performance in The Simpsons Movie, Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 Annie Awards, but lost to Ian Holm from Ratatouille.{{cite news |url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208102908/http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html |archive-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=live |title=For Your Consideration |access-date=December 3, 2007 |date=December 3, 2007 |publisher=Annie Awards}}{{cite news |url=https://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1 |title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies |access-date=February 9, 2008 |date=February 8, 2008 |work=Variety |author=Debruge, Peter |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120524113040/http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1 |archive-date=May 24, 2012 |url-status=live }} Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879 |title=Homer's Odyssey |work=Metro Weekly |access-date=July 26, 2007 |date=July 26, 2007 |author=Shulman, Randy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926231021/http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 }} Various episodes in which Marge is prominently featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program, including "The Way We Weren't" in 2004 and "Life on the Fast Lane", which won the award in 1990. In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.{{cite web |access-date=September 4, 2008 |url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons |title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731111136/http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
Marge has been ranked highly in lists of the top television mothers of all time. She was ranked first on Entertainment Weekly
Religious writer Kenneth Briggs has written that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood ... She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person ... absolutely saintly."{{Cite news |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |journal=The Guardian |date=October 3, 2001 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013120952/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |archive-date=October 13, 2013 |url-status=live }}
Marge and Lisa are James L. Brooks's favorite characters in the series, and the two with whom he identifies with most. Marge and Lisa are more popular than Homer and Bart in Japan, France, and many French speaking countries. Matt Groening has spoken fondly of them, though he prefers Homer and Bart. Sam Simon also prefers Homer and Bart finding Marge and Lisa to be too "goody two-shoes" for his tastes.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
{{Clear}}
Cultural influence
{{quote box
| width = 30em
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| quote = Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as Dr. Seuss says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children ... always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind.
| salign = right
| source = —Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush
}}
The edition of October 1, 1990, of People included an interview with then-First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush. The article included the following passage: "She loves America's Funniest Home Videos but remains baffled after sampling The Simpsons. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean."{{cite news |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html |title=In the Eye of the Storm |author=Chin, Paula |access-date=August 27, 2008 |date=October 1, 1990 |work=People |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411195520/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0%2C%2C20118869%2C00.html |archive-date=April 11, 2016 |url-status=live }} The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you ... depicted on a plastic cup ... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.{{cite news |title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up? |author=Hall, Virginia |date=November 13, 1990 |work=Rocky Mountain News}}
In 2002, opponents of the Seattle Monorail Project planned on showing the episode "Marge vs. the Monorail" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.{{cite news |title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=The Seattle Times |date=October 19, 2002}} In 2004, Marge appeared on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom for the Alternative Christmas message, which is annually broadcast at the same time that Queen Elizabeth II gives her Christmas message.{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904131129/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen |author=Singh, Anita |work=Manchester Evening News |date=January 10, 2004 |access-date=October 31, 2008 }}
On April 9, 2009, the United States Postal Service unveiled a series of five 44-cent stamps featuring Marge and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5 |title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps |date=April 1, 2009 |access-date=May 8, 2009 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |author=Szalai, George |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404084132/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5 |archive-date=April 4, 2009}} The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.{{cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US |url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html |publisher=Newslite |date=May 8, 2009 |access-date=May 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828035658/http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html |archive-date=August 28, 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation |title=The Simpsons Get 'Stamping Ovation' To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps |date=May 7, 2009 |publisher=United States Postal Service |access-date=May 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606080140/http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation |archive-date=June 6, 2011}}
=Merchandising=
Marge is depicted in much The Simpsons-related merchandise, including T-shirts, baseball caps, bumper stickers, cardboard stand-ups, refrigerator magnets, key rings, buttons, dolls, posters and figurines.{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge |title=Search Results for Marge |access-date=October 29, 2008 |publisher=The Simpsons Shop |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006150554/http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge |archive-date=October 6, 2011 }} She has appeared in each of The Simpsons video games.{{cite magazine |last=Walk |first=Gary Eng |title=Work of Bart |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=November 5, 2007 |url=https://ew.com/article/2007/11/09/bart-and-homer-guns-n-roses/ |access-date=October 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017135647/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20158366%2C00.html |archive-date=October 17, 2008 |url-status=live }} Besides the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of Simpsons Comics, which were published from 1993 to 2018.{{cite web |title=Groening launches Futurama comics |work=The Gazette |date=November 19, 2000 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492 |author=Radford, Bill |access-date=October 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915091731/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492 |archive-date=September 15, 2008}}{{cite web |url=http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp |title=Sundays with the Simpsons |access-date=October 29, 2008 |author=Shutt, Craig |publisher=MSNBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp |archive-date=July 8, 2007}} Marge also plays a role in The Simpsons Ride, launched in 2008 at Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood.{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices |access-date=October 29, 2008 |date=April 9, 2008 |work=Los Angeles Times |author=MacDonald, Brady |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914144851/http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |archive-date=September 14, 2008 }}
Marge appeared in a 2005 advertisement for Dove Styling, where her normal beehive hair was exchanged for a more stylish look for a series of ads featuring several popular cartoon women.{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526203745/http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 26, 2012 |title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo |work=The Herald-Mail |date=January 15, 2005 |access-date=October 31, 2008 }}
In April 2004, Marge appeared on the cover of Maxim.{{cite web|url=https://www.maxim.com/entertainment/throwback-thursday-april-2004-marge-simpson|title=Throwback Thursday: April - Marge Simpson|website=Maxim|date=December 21, 2015}} She also appeared on the cover of the November 2009 issue of Playboy, becoming the first cartoon character to appear on the cover. The cover and a three-page picture spread, as well as a story inside entitled The Devil in Marge Simpson, commemorated the 20th anniversary of The Simpsons,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8300463.stm|title=Marge gracing Playboy mag cover|date=October 10, 2009|access-date=October 10, 2009|publisher=BBC News}} but as also part of a plan to appeal to younger readers, a decision which has been criticized due to a page in which the character is depicted nude.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2009/oct/24/marge-simpson-playboy-cover |title=Marge Simpson poses naked for Playboy – but what would Lisa think? |first=Sarah |last=Churchwell |publisher=TheGuardian.com |date=October 24, 2009 |access-date=October 24, 2009 }} Darine Stern's picture on the October 1971 cover served as the inspiration for Playboy's November 2009 cover.{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/12/marge.simpson.playboy/index.html |title=Marge Simpson graces Playboy cover |publisher=CNN |date=October 13, 2009 |access-date=October 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015165920/http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/12/marge.simpson.playboy/index.html |archive-date=October 15, 2009 |url-status=live}}
In 2024, a 3500-year-old sarcophagus was discovered in Egypt, with a human depiction that was very similar to Marge Simpson. It had yellow skin, a green dress, tall blue hair and 4 toes.{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/marge-simpson-s-likeness-found-in-ancient-egyptian-coffin-what-does-this-discovery-mean-1.6932858 |title=Marge Simpson's likeness found in ancient Egyptian coffin. What does this discovery mean? |publisher=CTV |date=June 19, 2024}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
= Bibliography =
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |editor2-first=Antonia |editor2-last=Coffman |title=The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family |edition=1st |year=1997 |location=New York |publisher=HarperPerennial |lccn=98141857 |ol=433519M |oclc=37796735 |isbn=978-0-06-095252-5 |ref={{harvid|Richmond & Coffman|1997}}|title-link=The Simpsons episode guides#The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family}}
- {{cite book |last=Turner |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Turner (author) |title=Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation |others=Foreword by Douglas Coupland. |edition=1st |year=2004 |location=Toronto |publisher=Random House Canada |oclc=55682258 |isbn=978-0-679-31318-2|title-link=Planet Simpson}}
- {{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |title=Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |title-link=Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |date=2010-10-28 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=9780061711282 |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |edition=1st |editor2-last=Gimple |editor2-first=Scott M. |editor2-link=Scott M. Gimple |editor-last3=McCann |editor-first3=Jessie L. |editor-last4=Seghers |editor-first4=Christine |editor-last5=Bates |editor-first5=James W.}}
{{refend}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170208015622/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0003031/ Marge Simpson] on IMDb
{{The Simpsons}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
Category:American female characters in television
Category:Animated human characters
Category:Characters created by Matt Groening
Category:Comedy film characters
Category:Female characters in animated television series
Category:Female characters in animated films
Category:Female characters in film
Category:The Simpsons characters
Category:Animated characters introduced in 1987
Category:Television characters introduced in 1987