Barbara Maitland is a fictional character from the classic film Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton. She is portrayed as a kind-hearted and gentle woman who, along with her husband Adam Maitland, becomes a ghost after a tragic accident. Their main goal is to haunt the new inhabitants of their home, the Deetz family, to reclaim their space. As a ghost, Barbara struggles with her new reality and the challenges of being stuck in the afterlife. Her character showcases themes of love, loss, and the desire for peace, making her a relatable figure in the whimsical yet dark world of Beetlejuice.