Mirror
Sylvia Plath
I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.
Whatever I see I swallow immediately
Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.
I am not cruel, only truthful ‚
The eye of a little god, four-cornered.
Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.
It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long
I think it is part of my heart. But it flickers.
Faces and darkness separate us over and over.
Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me,
Searching my reaches for what she really is.
Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.
I see her back, and reflect it faithfully.
She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.
I am important to her. She comes and goes.
Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.
In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman
Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.
Summary
Just as the title suggests, the poem is about a mirror in its many forms. It is written from the perspective of the mirror as it comments on its own objective reflection of the things around it. It considers itself wholly truthful, an impartial retelling of the physical appearance of something devoid of preconceptions. The first stanza simply relates the mirror’s basic function, and its regular meditation on the pink speckled wall opposite to it, separated momentarily by the darkness of night cycles and passing faces. The second stanza shows the mirror in the form of a lake. The mirror now relates saddening recurring interactions with a woman who uses the lake as a mirror, trying to see what she is. The mirror (as the lake) reflects her appearance truthfully, triggering great unhappiness and displeasure in the woman, bringing her to tears. The lake and its objective reflection of her fading youth is like an important ritual to her. Daily, she sees old age appear more and more in her features, as though something horrible is rising in the lake each time she consults its impartial reflection. The themes of the poem include appearance vs reality, senescence, time and women. The mood is somewhat reflective (hehe, get it?) and pensive. The tone is matter-of-fact (dignified) based on the mirror’s pride in its impartial reflective properties.
Analysis
“I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.”
The poem begins with the mirror’s simple declaration of the nature of its existence. In this form (as the conventional glass mirror) and in any other form, it is infallibly accurate and has no biases that cloud how it represents the objects before it. It is impartial; no likes or dislikes result in a muddling of details or tampering with the outcome of one’s appearance. It seems prideful in the assuredness of its exactitude. An alliteration is used in the second line ‘Whatever I see I swallow immediately,’ communicating no hesitation or biased selection in what it does or does not reflect.
“I am not cruel, only truthful‚ The eye of a little god, four-cornered.”
The mirror declares itself merely an agent of complete truth. By mentioning cruelty, it suggests that the displeasure felt by someone at their own appearance in the mirror is not the fault of the mirror itself- it intends to be only truthful regardless of the emotions felt by the subject. The mention of being the ‘eye of a little god’ ties into the idea of an unyielding truthfulness, as the concept of god is associated with an impartial judgement of subjects.
“Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long I think it is part of my heart. But it flickers. Faces and darkness separate us over and over.”
When not being used by people, the mirror reflects the pink-speckled appearance of the wall opposite to it. The mirror considers the wall almost a part of itself because it has looked at it for so long. However, this indefinite staring contest between them is broken up by the darkness of regular night cycles and the faces of people who peer into the mirror in search of their own appearances.
“Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me, Searching my reaches for what she really is.”
The mirror now describes another one of its forms- the reflective surface of a lake. It speaks about a woman who bends over the lake, trying to see what she really is. This diction is interesting, because the mirror states that she searches for ‘what she really is,’ as though the mirror will define her identity somehow. This is quite strange, especially considering that one’s appearance doesn’t define their identity.
“Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon. I see her back, and reflect it faithfully. She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.”
The mirror refers to the moon and candles as ‘liars.’ These are both light sources, but that still doesn’t necessarily explain why the mirror considers them liars. The innate beauty of these light sources does not reflect the appearance of the onlooker. The mirror surface of the lake reflects the woman’s back, but she is obviously displeased by her own appearance. She ‘rewards’ the mirror with tears of sadness and agitates its calm surface by disturbing it with her hands. This is an oxymoron, as the ‘reward’ for such faithful reflection is something so negative and of obvious displeasure.
“I am important to her. She comes and goes. Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness. In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.”
The lake is ‘important’ to the woman- returning daily to look at her own face as though it is a ritual. This compulsive obsession with looking at herself ties into a need to watch her fading youth. The poet uses a metaphor here to relate the aging of the woman: “in me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman rises toward her day after day.” Slowly, after years of this ritual, the young girl has disappeared, and instead, an old woman is appearing in her features, reflected by the lake. The poem ends with a simile, “Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.” This communicates that the old woman (her imminent senescence) is repugnant and repulsive to her, but it continues to rise, day after day.
University life is filled with opportunities for personal and academic growth. However, the pressure to excel, especially in writing assignments, can be overwhelming. By understanding the sources of pressure, implementing effective time management and stress management techniques, utilizing university resources, and maintaining a balanced life, you can not only survive but thrive in the academic storm. write my assignment that it's okay to seek assignment help when needed, as your well-being should always be a top priority. With these strategies, you can navigate university pressure while excelling in your assignments.
I can advise you the great service. Delivery is fast and accurate in Flowwow and in compliance with all requirements and wishes of the customer. We can always be sure that the gift will be preserved, and its wrapper gives a special charm and a sense of exclusivity. I think such services are very convenient and fast to use. It's such good as poetry and this really great for gifts.
Bad grades can be embarrassing and probably your child may not tell you about this immediately. The grade is just a parameter to measure the performance of students in a particular task or exam. However, it doesn’t mean that students who do not receive higher grades are not talented or knowledgeable. Grades help students to achieve better opportunities in their careers so teachers or parents often expect students to secure good grades in all academic tasks. If you are struggling with poor grades in exams or academic papers, you can get guidance from Malaysia Assignment helper. Professional experts are well-versed in handling the academic project. They can provide valuable support to students in writing academic papers irrespective of the tough…
Discover an inexhaustible source of excitement in our online casino, where every slot, every table is a new chance for success and excitement. We invite you on a journey through the world of gambling entertainment, a visit site where exciting games and exclusive bonuses create a unique atmosphere. Become part of our gambling community and enjoy every moment of the game!
Oh, mate, let me tell you about this wild ride I stumbled onto – the Online Casino at https://conquestador.com/en-nz/game/chilli-heat. So, I'm casually clicking around, looking for a bit of spicy excitement, and boom, there it is – Chilli Heat. I felt like I'd walked into a virtual fiesta, with hot peppers everywhere. Anyway, in the midst of this caliente chaos, I discover they've got this link for writing services – random, right? I went from spinning reels to thinking about essays. It was like a spicy surprise twist in my online escapades. Who'd have thought a casino would lead me to pondering prose? If you ever fancy a double dose of heat – slots and scribbles – check here. Life's…