Mirror This poem is ultimately about a process….examining and understanding oneself. It is a dark, complex poem which reflects on several inter-related themes. –The search for identity –Deep personal insecurity –Fear of old age –Our obsession with image The speaker’s world is empty, bleak, even fearful. The imagery is disturbing, startling. Plath uses personification to give voice to a mirror and a lake. Both are reflective surfaces. Essentially, the poem explores two different ways of seeing oneself – both of which are cold and frightening.

Two nine-line stanzas In the first stanza the speaking voice is a mirror. It’s presented as valuable but lifeless – “silver”. It makes clear that for all it’s clarity, (it’s “unmisted by love or dislike”) it isn’t cruel – just truthful. Nevertheless, the plain, unvarnished truth can often be a little harsh, a little unforgiving. If this represents Plath’s view of herself then she judges herself harshly. It presents itself as exact, precise, emotionless. Whatever it sees, it takes in immediately, “swallows”, then reflects straight back to the gazer. What the mirror reflects is exactly what it sees. It’s incapable of ‘airbrushing’ anything. It’s like a little god because people ‘worship’ at it. How much time, for example, do you spend in front of your mirror? The mirror has been reflecting the wall opposite for so long it feels almost a part of it. It’s view of the wall, though, is interrupted by night (“darkness”) and people (“faces”) gazing at themselves. Repitition (“over and over”) heightens the inexorable passage of time. Note the ideas here of separation, darkness, flickering light, relentless passage of time.

Stanza two – the speaking voice is a lake. This stanza continues to look at the issue of image, identity and self- awareness.. The reflective surface is now a lake, however, and this is very different to a mirror. A lake has hidden depths…what lurks beneath may not be pleasant. The woman bends over the lake, “searching” for who she really is. Leaning over a lake is dangerous….unsettling…especially if you have serious emotional issues…what you begin to discover may be too painful. The woman (Plath) turns away…it’s too much. She needs a gentler self assesment… The candles and moon are metaphors for this…candle light hids a thousand blemishes! But this is ultimately unsuccessful and she reacts with wringing her hands – a gesture of anguish (remember Child).

Stanza 2….final quatrain The mirror and lake both speak here and we realise that they are both in fact two aspects of the same process….the process of self examination and understanding. The mirror/lake is important to the woman. She revisits it every morning…it’s as though she is unable to resist the urge to self examine…each morning her face replaces the darkness. But when suffering from depression/anxiety, darkness (sleep) is often the only time one has any respite…. The final image is particularly frightening…”in me she has drowned a young girl and in me an old woman rises toward her day after day like a terrible fish” –On one hand this represents the decay of youth and the approach of a horribleold age –It also likely refers to the idea that Plath’s own inner turmoil is slowly destroying anything young and beautiful in her Ultimately, The mirror, lake and woman are all one and the same person – Plath.

Some points to note Dominant imagery –The mirror / The lake Metaphors for the process of self – perception / understanding. – The candles and moon Metaphors for a gentler, more forgiving way of seeing oneself. – The tears and agitation of hands Represent the poet’s inner anguish at what she ‘sees’ of herself. –The young girl drowned and the old woman rising towards her like a terrible fish. On one level this represents the decay of yoth and the fearful approach of horrible old age On a deeper level it suggests that Plath’s own inner demons (the monstrous old woman) are gradually destroying anything youthful, beautiful, joyful in her.