'Mirror' by Sylvia Plath: analysis Sylvia Plath wrote 'Mirror' on 23 October 1961. Mirrors have caused people to think negatively about themselves. Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. PDF. The bell jar, the fig tree, mirrors, and electricity all symbolize what occurs in Esther's head. About her experiences with death, a critic writes:- The lake and its objective reflection of her fading youth is like an important ritual to her. They hold a mirror to the life of Plath. I am not cruel, only truthful---. It does not hide, tone down, twist or distort what it sees as the human beings do. In a poem about a mirror, we can expect a lot of reflections. The interpretation of Sylvia Plath's poem, "Mirror," has many levels. The prose writings and the journals provide important clues to the understanding of Plath. However, since an object can not both be a mirror and a lake, this leads me to believe that they are instead a metaphor for something else. In her poem, Mirror, Sylvia Plath uses symbolism with darkness, water, the moon, and the light.In the line "Faces and darkness separate us over and over", darkness has two meanings. A mirror is unlike a person because it does not lie. So, what do the "mirror" and the "lake" represent in the poem? Indiana University Press, 1970. By Sylvia Plath. An analysis of the most important parts of the poem Mirror by Sylvia Plath, written in an easy-to-understand format. Sylvia Plath chooses a simple everyday object, 'a mirror' in her poem and puts perspective to it by assuming its voice and . The following essay will also be discussing the feminist writing style of Sylvia Plath, specifically as presented in her poem - "Mirror". The lake can symbolize coldness, the unknown, and death by drowning. To read the poem, click here. Many of Plath's poems deal with the complexities of defining womanhood and existing in a female space. In Lady Lazarus, Sylvia Plath sings a tune of death and resurrection. Score: 4.1/5 (57 votes) 'Lady Lazarus' is about Sylvia Plath's failure in her previous suicidal attempts and her mental transformation before the third attempt.Plath is known for her tortured soul. By allowing falsehoods (darkness) or people (faces) to get in the way, man is hindered from becoming truly happy. Symbolism is a representation of something through symbols or hidden meanings of objects or qualities. Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon. In Sylvia Plath's poem "Mirror", Plath emphasis the process of senescence and addresses the search of individuality for a woman in a patriarchal society. Poetry Explication: " Mirror" by Sylvia Plath The poem entitled " Mirror" written by Sylvia Plath appears initially as providing a physical description of the mirror in a straightforward way through stating its characteristics and purpose which is to provide an exact image of the person peering through it; but as the poem progresses, the mirror increasingly symbolized the personified . AP essay prompt Prompt: Read the following poem carefully. As a first-time mother, she was on the way toward fulfilling . It is pink, with speckles. But the pain is so enormous that . The first meaning is the actual darkness, opposite of the light. The poem describes the life of a young woman growing older as she looks into her mirror. The bell jar symbolizes mental illness, and a trap within the mind and body. She knows that death is an accepted universal truth; therefore, she conceptualizes it. I have no preconceptions. Another poem by Sylvia Plath that uses an extended metaphor is mushrooms. Mirror. as proven, as the poem progresses, the mirror increasingly symbolized the personified reflection of women, as seen by the author, who views herself as an evolving transformation, focusing on the loss of physical beauty as she changes through time.analysismirror by sylvia plath is a poem about the terrible difficulty of the truth, especially the At the same time, the description of a mirror as "a silver hole" suggests that, to some extent, all images of identity are false, more a projection by the viewer than a revelation of essential truth. In the poem, the author is trying to portray a meaning deeper than what is being said. The woman in the poem looks to the mirror in an effort to find out who she is, but the mirror only reflects her exact image. Whatever I see I swallow immediately. It is pink, with speckles. (Aird 1973:106). Elyse Allen. "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath and "Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy have shown symbolism and conflict. One example of the symbolic use of a mirror in literature is Sylvia Plath's use of mirror imagery and symbolism in her poem Mirror. Reflections Symbol Analysis. This is a step by step line by line analysis of the poem Mirror by sylvia plath. Comparisons are made throughout the poem that convey feelings and ideas that would not have the same affect if they were explicitly stated. Then plastic surgery has caused people to want to change themselves. These tones and moods are . Mirror is a free verse written by the American poet Sylvia Plath. . Written from the point of view of a personified mirror, the poem explores Plath's own fears regarding aging and death. loneliness isolation emotional pain Death is one of the major themes in the poetry of Sylvia Plath. The forces that separate them i.e. This was a stressful time for Plath. The poem is written from the perspectives of two entities: a mirror and a lake, and the piece stands for the ideas of honesty, truth, and neutrality. Sylvia Plath was an prominent Americans poet, novelist and short story writer of 20 th century. Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. The persona of the poem is the mirror. In-text citation: ("The Use of Imagery, Personification, Symbolism, Hyperbole, Connotation, and Denotation in Sylvia Plath's Poem Mirror.") Works Cited entry: I see her back, and reflect it faithfully." Tone in "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath In "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath, the speaker is represented as a mirror that reflects the life and actions of another human being. She carries this symbol throughout the poem because the poem is based mostly around a mirror. The poems mirror and spinster by Sylvia Plath are unique in the presentation of a theme of loneliness engulfing the protagonists. I have no preconceptions. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Sylvia Plath's poem "Mirror" is a sad expression of a woman's perception of her own self-worth based primarily on her outward appearance and her inability to come to terms with her aging. " Mirror " by Sylvia Plath is one of the great American lyrical poems. Symbolism. Examples of symbolism are: an eagle representing freedom, a dove representing peace, and the color green can symbolize Symbolism Of Ray Bradbury 's Fahrenheit 451 The physical aspects of the mirror connote order with circumscribed and rigid borders. (11) $1.99. Best Answer. A mirror reflects what is there whereas people reflect what others may want to hear or see. The poem Mirror is adeptly exploring and advancing the themes of both truth and ageing. But, also at times implies that the speaker is a mirror. Advertisement - Guide continues below . She has the ability to express it in the shape of words. darkness and faces can be regarded as the deceptions that human beings create. Sylvia Plath's poem, "Mirror," symbolizes the troubled self of the woman, especially the woman artist who has to reject the given masks imposed on her by the patriarchal society and see herself as an artist and an individual. She begins the poem using symbolism when she says, "I am silver and exact" (1) which is a symbol for a mirror. Most people have experienced agony at least once. The most significant features of Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" are the revelations of two important themes. Sylvia Plath's poem, ''Mirror," symbolizes the troubled self of the woman, especially the . In "In Midas's Country," for instance, mirror is used "as a . The poem mirror is written in free verse with no set pattern of rhythm and rhyme. I am silver and exact. Sylvia Plath's poem, "Mirror," composed in 1961, is broken into two distinct parts. Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" is a poem which deals intimately with the idea of women searching for distinctions between the real self and the false. Whatever you see I swallow immediately. This lesson can be done in one class period and features the following: Pre-reading activity: Journal writing with a twist. I have no preconceptions. The poem's form is free verse. The mirror (as the lake) reflects her appearance truthfully, triggering great unhappiness and displeasure in the woman, bringing her to tears. From the beginning of the poem, we see that it revolves around water. . She felt it closely when she attempted suicide. PDF. 'Mirror' is a short, two-stanza poem written in 1961. Her pain is reflected in the external world, and vice versa, the world's pain is reflected in her soul. We will write a custom Essay on "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page The main theme of "Mirror", by Sylvia Plath, is self-reflection. (22) $1.50. "Mirror", by Sylvia Plath, is a poem that explores the concepts of perception, truth, and the passage of time from the point of view of a mirror. The symbolism in this poem is the mirror its self. The poem includes a persona, frail willed and delicate, headed to death multiple times by her foes and faultfinders. There's two levels of perspective that separate the poem in two stanzas which are of . In this poem mushrooms seem to represent the quiet people that just keep themselves to themselves and get on with life. We see the transition of this woman here, with the moon - that key symbol for the white goddess - looming in the background, behind her. Plath introduces the mirror but not as an inanimate object but as a being with its own thoughts and feelings. The thing is in the control. )The speaker is personified mirror with human traits. The "mirror" stands for a medium of obtaining a straightforward view of oneself. The first symbol within The Bell Jar is the bell jar itself. . The goddess is a young maiden or virgin, then a pregnant and fertile mother, and finally, an old hag. Symbolism "Now I am a lake." In the second stanza, the mirror becomes a lake. What ever you see I swallow immediately. In the poem water is both a reflecting surface and an actual lake. 4.9. The eye of a . Plath only uses the word "reflect" once . Mushrooms themselves are very insignificant organisms but they are very successful and can live and survive in all sorts of environments. The author, therefore, manages to create images of her father in the minds of the readers by successfully applying the use of symbols as one of the "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath literary devices, brought out through metaphors and imagery (Rose, 1993). Symbolism of Mirrors in Psychology - In psychology, mirrors are a threshold between the conscious and subconscious mind. Mirror Lyrics. When the poet says, "I have no preconceptions," he means that the mirror is absolutely unbiased. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. The "moon and candles" represent idle flatterers that dwell on dishonesty. The "terrible fish" suggests the poet's profound mental agony. So, water, in this poem, is both clear and . It is a double-sided mirror. The poem's speaker provides a window into the effeminate interpretation of deterioration. Feminist Writing In Mirror. This is what makes this poem intriguing to readers. Stanza One The poem begins with the mirror. An ambitious woman writer, Sylvia Plath was living in an era that defined a woman's role in a male dominated society. The speaker develops a casually detached tone right from the beginning of the poem, but also portrays an accepting mood by the end of the work. Newman, Charles. This point of view usually suggests a less subjective perspective than the first person. This product will allow your students to easily understand and analyze Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" by breaking it down line-by-line!Instruct your students to fold the paper in half the long way, and to cut along the black lines into the midline of the paper. The poem probes into the corners of human nature, Beauty, life and death and deals at large with the eternal truth of human life. The second meaning is of fear or ignorance, but seems more likely to be fear. About the author Reading the poem a first time Vocabulary Rereading the poem Worksheet: Emphasis is on . Mirror. They show her obsessions and compulsions. Works Cited. poetry 'Mirror' is a poem based on the idea of reflection, both at the outward and the inward self, in which Plath personifies a mirror as the speaking voice to best articulate the theme of self-exploration. And like the cat I have nine times to die." (Plath 20-21); in myths, some old stories feature the cats have nine lives, and the speaker uses the image of a cat to compare her life. For instance, "I am only thirty./. Much of Plath's poems were published posthumously, including her "Crossing the River" and "Winter Trees" in 1971. Point of View, Personification, and Symbolism in Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" deals specifically with the feminine struggle of immortality. The mirror defines itself as "silver and exact." It offers no judgments, rather it swallows what it observes and reflects the image back without any adjustments. - the speaker is not a person, but a personified mirror. Metaphor "Searching my reaches for what she really is. The . From silver to pink to moonlight, this poem uses colors and light to give the reader images as they read about a mirror. In "Lady Lazarus" Plath uses tone, imagery, and symbolism to describe her obsession with suicide being the meaning of her life and also the guilt of constantly . The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. In Sylvia Plath's "Lady Lazarus", readers may find it hard to understand the meaning of the poem. Sylvia Plath presents mirror as a symbol of truth, reality and objectivity. 4.7. I am not cruel, only truthful --. Copy. This is because they trigger self-awareness and introduce us to our persona. Plath uses these in order to emphasize the point she is trying to make with the poem about beauty, aging, self-image, and the way society views the three. Introduction. In literature, mirrors have been used to symbolize a variety of things across both of these spectrums of thought. Sylvia Plath and a Summary of the Poem 'Mirror'. Your reflection isn't distorted by the mirror it is your attitude that is . The carol "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath is tlong-standing from the purpose of inspection of a consider resting up on a controlbearance. The theme of the poem. Narratives around Mirror are symbolic but very ably it exposes the ongoing thoughts in one's head with time & space. By looking into the mirror, you can look beyond your consciousness and have a glimpse of your subconsciousness. Written in the third person, the poem may give the impression of offering a detached judgment of the dead woman. The eye of a little god, four-cornered. Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am silver and exact. Mirror by Sylvia Plath - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. It is her use of private or contextual symbolism, her use of symbols to create an atmosphere of truth versus illusion, and her design of the mirror to symbolize her inner-self that make this poem such a vehicle for self- examination. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. Mirror // Sylvia Plath. Examples of symbols include hearts, which stand for love, and the triple moon that represents the Wiccan religion. Unlike human beings, it is free from any preconception and prejudices . Admitting the complexity of assigning a single meaning to mirror as a symbol in Plath's poetry, Aird lists different representations of mirror in Plath's poetry. Tough-O-Meter Calling Card Form and Meter Symbols, Imagery, Wordplay Sex Rating Shout Outs . The Mirror. Sylvia Plath wrote "Mirror" in 1961, shortly after having given birth to her first child. What i understand of the poem "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath is that she is the mirror in the first stanza a mirror is silver and exact it doesn't lie or hide the truth it reflects . Then write a well-organized essay in which you discuss how literary devices such as point of view and tone reveal the speaker's attitude about finding one's self. Sylvia Plath was living in England with her fellow poet and husband, Ted Hughes, and she had already given birth to their first child, Frieda. The mirror successfully takes the form skin to a foreign creature . I am silver and exact. One of the last two poems written by Sylvia Plath before her suicide, "Edge" is a meditation on the death of a woman. Many significant examples of symbolism can be found in "The Lottery by Shirley Jackson", "We Wear The Mask" by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson, and "The Mirror" by Sylvia Plath. The first is that a woman's fixation on her physical appearance enslaves her in a lifelong. In "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath, the speaker in the poem says, Now I am a lake. (Mirror also represents the society's view upon an educated woman who is searching for self-recognition in a male dominated culture. The Art of Sylvia Plath: A Symposium. What is the mood of the mirror poem? The mirror is a second self of the woman, the self that was born in the course of some immense suffering. They have shown that no one can be pleased with body image and the best thing to do is to accept yourself. Plath 's message is not conveyed as clearly to the reader as her reflection. Feminism is undeniably one of major themes in her poetry. The term symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing in things with a symbolic meaning or character ("Symbolism"). Plath personifies the mirror and narrates the poem from this persona giving us the perspective of things in the light of the mirror's point of view. It uses the titular mirror as its central symbolic device. In this extract, the mirror is described as an 'exact' because it shows and reflects whatever it sees in all its exactness. In this poem, Plath used the image of creatures to symbolize the Lady's life. What does the mirror by Sylvia Plath signify? Written in first-person point of view, the speaker is the mirror. The eye of a little god, four-cornered. We find out that the mirror is "unmisted" and "swallows" everything. The mirror is not evil, "only truthful." The mirror envisions itself as a lake. The "lake" symbolizes the steady passage of time that has made the poet age. 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