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. Sylvia plath wrote the poem in 1961, just two years before her actual. Her first volume of poetry, the colossus, was released in 1960 but shes best known for the publication of ariel in 1965. In the ensuing years her work attracted the attention of a multitude of readers, who saw in her singular verse an attempt to catalogue despair, violent emotion, and obsession with death. The life of a mirror owned by a woman recapping what it is seeing and what he has seen. 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. Analysis of sylvia plaths mirror 1281 words 6 pages. The poem is written from the mirrors perspective and details what it. Jun 26, 2017 the poem mirror is an autobiographical account of a mirror, highlighting its qualities. Jun 05, 2015 mirror by sylvia plath uses a couple of different figures of speech in it to get its point across. It does not hide, tone down, twist or distort what it sees as the human beings do.
Through the use of metaphor and personification in the poem, plath creates images of water, reflections, and colors as having human characteristics to emphasize the strong. She has an uncanny ability to give meaningful words to some of the most inexpressible emotions. Spiderlike, i spin mirrors, loyal to my image plath, 259 the image is synonymous to death, she can only remember but deadly single word of what is left. Complete analysis of daddy by sylvia plath poem analysis. Sylvia plath was one of the most dynamic and admired poets of the 20th century. Mirror by sylvia plath question and answers short answer type questions. In greek mythology, narcissus is a young boy who fell in love with his reflection in a lake a natural mirror.
I am silver and exact, i see her back, and reflect it faithfully, these descriptions follow the definition of a mirror. Discuss the way plath uses language in the poem to convey this complex tone. Welcome to the mirror by sylvia plath question and answers. Sylvia plaths poem mirror is a reflection on what it means to be a woman uncertain of the future, haunted by the past. Jan 09, 2020 andrew has a keen interest in all aspects of poetry and writes extensively on the subject. Plath uses symbolism, personification, and metaphors to convey her theme that mirrors reflect who we. The mirror watches a womans youth pass her by, and it appears that the woman gauges her worth based on what she sees. Jun 29, 20 line by line summary of mirror by sylvia plath mirror is written in blank verse and is divided into two stanzas. Plath writes in many different styles, but this poem shows a style that is evident in much of her poetry. The poem mirror is an autobiographical account of a mirror, highlighting its qualities. Read the questions thoroughly and comment if you liked. Morning song, and metaphors as the object of the research. Sometimes we can only rely on what we see in ourselves as the truth.
Brainstorm five things you know about mirrors, associate with mirrors, or use. The mirror imagery in plaths poetry, therefore, signifies the. In the poem mirror by sylvia plath, there is a continuing theme of change. By the time she took her life at the age of 30, plath already had a following in the literary community. Annotate the poem identify on the poem any sound techniques or comparisons. In the last post, i wrote about mirror summary in hindi. For thirty years, poor and white, barely daring to breathe or achoo. Analysis of sylvia plaths mirror sylvia plath is known as the poet of confession.
In this post, you can find some important questions from the chapter mirror. It uses the titular mirror as its central symbolic device. Analysis of mirror by sylvia plath reading by sherice blair. The death of sylvia plaths father at age eight was a decisive experience shaping. Plath an american poet, novelist and short story writer. An analysis of intimacy in sylvia plaths poetry 17 fourth stanza with its own reflection in the mirror of loyal and unique loneliness. The mirror was written by sylvia plath in 1961 but wasnt published until 1971, eight years after her death by suicide. Plaths mirror that for sylvia plath, mirror holds great significance because the search. She faced a task in herself and her poetry is a record of her progress in the task. Many of plath s poems deal with the complexities of defining womanhood and existing in a female space. In the poem, mirror, by sylvia plath, which can be read in full here, the mirror gives its own description and says that i am silver. Sylvia plath was a twentieth century american writer and poet, born in 1932.
I dont have any preconceived notions and i absorb everything that comes my way. A split in the mirror i sit composed in grecian tunic. Sylvia plaths poem, mirror, symbolizes the troubled self of the woman. The second stanza in particular reworks the narcissus myth and adapts it to a womans experience. In the poem mirror, by sylvia plath, the poet communicates the idea that ones perception of youth and old age can influence how one views the passage of time. The overall meaning of the poem mirror pen and the pad. Mirror by sylvia plath by lovelynne magalued on prezi. In the poem, mirror, by sylvia plath, which can be read in full here, the mirror gives its own description and says that i am silver coloured and i am very accurate while reflecting the images of the objects that fall on my surface. It captures the frustration of people as they look at their reflection watching themselves age. In this marriage, sylvia plaths rudeness and destructive rages, her troubled relationship. Whatever i see i swallow immediately just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. Purdah is the term used to describe the practice of female seclusion by means of clothing and screens. Sylvia plath s mirror is a poem told from the point of view of the mirror. A short analysis of sylvia plaths mirror interesting.
Sylvia plath s poem mirror discusses the concepts of female identity and selfrepresentation. Mirror is a free verse written by the american poet sylvia plath. Born in 1932 to middle class parents in jamaica plain, massachusetts, sylvia plath published her first poem at the age of eight. Sylvia plath was an american poet best known for her novel the bell jar, and for her poetry collections the colossus and ariel.
While living in winthrop, eightyearold plath published her first poem in the boston heralds childrens section. Sylvia plath chooses a simple everyday object, a mirror in her mirror by sylvia plath. Poems study guide contains a biography of poet sylvia plath, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of select poems. Analysis of the poem mirror analyzing the works of. The title, mirror, tells the reader who the speaker is in this poem, though we probably could have figured it out without the hint. Words such as swallow, meditate, and phrases such as part of my. Brainstormfivethingsyouknowaboutmirrors,associatewith. The death of sylvia plaths father when she was eight was a decisive. Mirror was written two years before plath committed suicide in 1963. In this and many of her poems, the tone changes from despondent, to hopeful, to.
We know mirrors dont talk but that just makes us more curious about what this mirror is going to say. Mirror by sylvia plath was composed in 1961, just before plaths twentyninth birthday, two years before her suicide. A sensitive person who tended to be a bit of a perfectionist she was what many would consider a model daughter and student popular, a straight a student, always winning the best prizes. The first stanza talks from the viewpoint of a personified mirror. She uses poetry as a way to confess her feelings, to express and release her pain in life. Sylvia plath bibliography sylvia plath was born on october 27, 1932 in boston, massachusetts. A sensitive person who tended to be a bit of a perfectionist she was what many would consider a model daughter and student popular, a. Mirror by sylvia plath uses a couple of different figures of speech in it to get its point across. A short analysis of sylvia plaths mirror interesting literature. Andrew has a keen interest in all aspects of poetry and writes extensively on the subject. She brings the past, present and future all into effect in the two short stanzas in this poem. The narrator, that is the mirror, begins by saying that it is silver and exact.
In what sense does the speaker swallow whatever it sees. Jul 09, 20 this poem by sylvia plath symbolizes the troubled self of the woman, who has had to reject the given masks imposed on her by the patriarchal society and see herself as an individual. You died before i had time marbleheavy, a bag full of god, ghastly statue with one gray toe. Written in the first person, the speaker within the poem describes their existence first as a. This poem by sylvia plath symbolizes the troubled self of the woman, who has had to reject the given masks imposed on her by the patriarchal society and see herself as an individual. What is the theme of the poem mirror by sylvia plath. It reflects how a woman is disappointed and frustrated to see her gradually fading beauty and youth. Analysis of sylvia plaths mirror anthropomorphism mirror scribd. The poem revolves around the truth of reflections in the life of an individual. Her books include the poetry collections the colossus, crossing the water, winter trees, ariel, and the collected poems, which won the pulitzer prize. Sylvia plaths poem mirror discusses the concepts of female identity and selfrepresentation. Reflections of self and other in sylvia plaths mirror imagery. Analysis of sylvia plaths mirror mirror is written from the point of view of a mirror which has. In particular, she wanted to highlight the issue that some females have with their image, and the inner turmoil that can be caused as the aging process picks up its pace.
While sylvia might sound a little bit like silver, were pretty sure from this firstperson declaration that plath isnt the speaker in this poem. Mirror by sylvia plath is one of the great american lyrical poems. Plath is credited with being a pioneer of the 20thcentury style of writing called confessional poetry. In the second stanza, sylvia plath introduces a new element to the poem.
In line 12, the mirror calls the moon and candles liars. Sylvia plaths 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. Poems study guide contains a biography of poet sylvia plath, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Discuss the instances of consonance in lines and again in line 9what effect do they have. Reflections of self and other in sylvia plaths mirror.
What is the meaning of the word unmisted as used in line 3. Analysis of the poem mirror analyzing the works of sylvia. In lines 1718, the image of the aging woman is compared to a terrible fish. Jun 29, 20 in the second stanza, sylvia plath introduces a new element to the poem. I am not cruel, only truthful the eye of a little god, fourcornered. Oct 27, 2017 sometimes we can only rely on what we see in ourselves as the truth.
In the beginning the changes are simple, like the acts of day turning to night, but at the end we see the life changes of a woman in particular. The timeless excellence of sylvia plath lies in the sense of language and of metaphor. She changes the narrator from the rectangular mirror, meditating on the opposite wall, to a lake. Perhaps that is why readers identify with her works of poetry so well, such as daddy. The duality that sylvia plath wrote about in her thesis provides the basis for the personality of esther, the protagonist of plaths the bell jar.
The entire poem is told by the mirror itself, meaning that personification is used throughout the poem because most mirrors lack the ability to talk excepting, of course, the mirror is snow white. The monotony of the day to day occurrences set the scene for the poem and the plain and sagacious way of speaking because of this we see that the mirror seems to be quite old. Sylvia plath uses a unique blend of symbolism, imagery, and repetition to tell a story from the. Many of plaths poems deal with the complexities of defining womanhood and existing in a female space. Line by line summary of mirror by sylvia plath mirror is written in blank verse and is divided into two stanzas. In this poem, sylvia plath revists the myth of narcissus. It appeared in plaths posthumously published collection crossing the water. A figurative language analysis on sylvia plath poems institutional. Hence, although the narrators form has changed, its function hasnt. Apr 19, 2019 welcome to the mirror by sylvia plath question and answers. Mirror by sylvia plath question and answers important. This applies to both of the characters described in the poem. Sylvia plath uses a unique blend of symbolism, imagery, and. Literary techniques used in sylvia plaths poem, mirror.
Those who only knew the brisk, polished, formidable sylvia knew the least of her2 it seems sylvia was a woman of razorsharp sensitivities, of prodigious gift and even more debilitating selfdoubts, depression and selfdefeating rages. In the poem mirror, the author, sylvia plath brings into perspective the true importance of mirrors. The fact that the mirror is the voice and has the starring role is a little odd, but sylvia plath wanted to show just how powerful an object the mirror is in peoples lives. The female protagonist in plaths mirror identifies herself with the inanimate mirror. In this and many of her poems the tone changes from despondent, to hopeful. An analysis of mirror by sylvia plath macy hogben college sylvia plaths mirror explores the impact of time on individuals, specifically within the realities of aging and losing beauty. The poem is written from the perspectives of two entities. The freeverse poem tells the story of a woman who continuously looks at her reflection first in a mirror and then in a lake. Written in firstperson point of view, the speaker is the mirror.
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