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 poem is written from the perspectives of two entities. Born in 1932 to middle class parents in jamaica plain, massachusetts, sylvia plath published her first poem at the age of eight. Many of plaths poems deal with the complexities of defining womanhood and existing in a female space. 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. Additionally, explanations, interpretation, and figurative language are discussed. It uses the titular mirror as its central symbolic device. Brainstorm five things you know about mirrors, associate with mirrors, or use mirrors for.
Analysis of the poem mirror analyzing the works of. In what sense does the speaker swallow whatever it sees. Sylvia plaths poem mirror discusses the concepts of female identity and selfrepresentation. Analysis of sylvia plaths mirror 1281 words 6 pages.
Her poetry, dreams and journal writings reveal the. The title, mirror, tells the reader who the speaker is in this poem, though we probably could have figured it out without the hint. Mirror by sylvia plath by lovelynne magalued on prezi. Written in the first person, the speaker within the poem describes their existence first as a. The overall meaning of the poem mirror pen and the pad. Sylvia plath wrote the poem in 1961, just two years before her actual.
An analysis of intimacy in sylvia plaths poetry 17 fourth stanza with its own reflection in the mirror of loyal and unique loneliness. For thirty years, poor and white, barely daring to breathe or achoo. Welcome to the mirror by sylvia plath question and answers. What is the meaning of the word unmisted as used in line 3. This applies to both of the characters described in the poem. Written in firstperson point of view, the speaker is the mirror. Perhaps that is why readers identify with her works of poetry so well, such as daddy. In the poem mirror, the author, sylvia plath brings into perspective the true importance of mirrors. In lines 1718, the image of the aging woman is compared to a terrible fish. Discuss the instances of consonance in lines and again in line 9what effect do they have. In the poem mirror by sylvia plath, there is a continuing theme of change. Mirror by sylvia plath uses a couple of different figures of speech in it to get its point across. 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. 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.
Mirror by sylvia plath was composed in 1961, just before plaths twentyninth birthday, two years before her suicide. Mirror is a free verse written by the american poet sylvia plath. While sylvia might sound a little bit like silver, were pretty sure from this firstperson declaration that plath isnt the speaker in this poem. Whatever i see i swallow immediately just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. Her first volume of poetry, the colossus, was released in 1960 but shes best known for the publication of ariel in 1965. Mirror was written two years before plath committed suicide in 1963. The mirror imagery in plaths poetry, therefore, signifies the. Discuss the way plath uses language in the poem to convey this complex tone. What is the theme of the poem mirror by sylvia plath. Poems study guide contains a biography of poet sylvia plath, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Sylvia plath was an american poet best known for her novel the bell jar, and for her poetry collections the colossus and ariel. Sylvia plath was one of the most dynamic and admired poets of the 20th century. In the second stanza, sylvia plath introduces a new element to the poem. A short analysis of sylvia plaths mirror interesting literature.
Mirror by sylvia plath question and answers important. Complete analysis of daddy by sylvia plath poem analysis. Plath writes in many different styles, but this poem shows a style that is evident in much of her poetry. Sylvia plaths poem mirror is a reflection on what it means to be a woman uncertain of the future, haunted by the past. Sylvia plaths mirror is a poem which deals intimately with the idea of women searching for distinctions between the real self and the false. Read the questions thoroughly and comment if you liked. The poem is written from the mirrors perspective and details what it. Line by line summary of mirror by sylvia plath mirror is written in blank verse and is divided into two stanzas. Sylvia plath chooses a simple everyday object, a mirror in her mirror by sylvia plath. The poem revolves around the truth of reflections in the life of an individual. Plath an american poet, novelist and short story writer. Essay about mirror by sylvia plath, analysis 861 words.
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. Mirror by sylvia plath is one of the great american lyrical poems. Literary techniques used in sylvia plaths poem, mirror. 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. Sometimes we can only rely on what we see in ourselves as the truth. Andrew has a keen interest in all aspects of poetry and writes extensively on the subject. Hence, although the narrators form has changed, its function hasnt.
She changes the narrator from the rectangular mirror, meditating on the opposite wall, to a lake. It explores and examines both the structure and content in a fillinthe blank format. I dont have any preconceived notions and i absorb everything that comes my way. Analysis of mirror by sylvia plath reading by sherice blair. In the last post, i wrote about mirror summary in hindi. 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 freeverse poem tells the story of a woman who continuously looks at her reflection first in a mirror and then in a lake. The loss of her youth and beauty makes her behave like a fish trapped in the pond of time which looks terrible without any grace or elegance. 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. You died before i had time marbleheavy, a bag full of god, ghastly statue with one gray toe. Sylvia plath was a twentieth century american writer and poet, born in 1932.
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. Her books include the poetry collections the colossus, crossing the water, winter trees, ariel, and the collected poems, which won the pulitzer prize. 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. Plath uses symbolism, personification, and metaphors to convey her theme that mirrors reflect who we. It reflects how a woman is disappointed and frustrated to see her gradually fading beauty and youth. Plath references the scene from greek mythology when the beautiful narcissus looks at his.
I am silver and exact, i see her back, and reflect it faithfully, these descriptions follow the definition of a mirror. Reflections of self and other in sylvia plaths mirror imagery. She has an uncanny ability to give meaningful words to some of the most inexpressible emotions. While living in winthrop, eightyearold plath published her first poem in the boston heralds childrens section. She brings the past, present and future all into effect in the two short stanzas in this poem. In line 12, the mirror calls the moon and candles liars. It captures the frustration of people as they look at their reflection watching themselves age. 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.
In this post, you can find some important questions from the chapter mirror. Mirror by sylvia plath question and answers short answer type questions. Words such as swallow, meditate, and phrases such as part of my. 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. It appeared in plaths posthumously published collection crossing the water. This 2 page analysis worksheet of sylvias plaths poem mirror follows the poem in chronological order. She writes in a way that allows the reader to feel her pain. Sylvia plath uses a unique blend of symbolism, imagery, and. Brainstormfivethingsyouknowaboutmirrors,associatewith. The mirror claims to embody a perfect objectivity and rationality.
The mirror was written by sylvia plath in 1961 but wasnt published until 1971, eight years after her death by suicide. The poem mirror is an autobiographical account of a mirror, highlighting its qualities. The unabridged journals offer all of plaths uncensored journal entries for the first time. Mirror by sylvia plath english explanation class 10 youtube. 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.
A split in the mirror i sit composed in grecian tunic. 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. I am not cruel, only truthful the eye of a little god, fourcornered. Sylvia plaths writing depicts the anguish of an unresolved and ambivalent attachment with her father. A short analysis of sylvia plaths mirror interesting. The first stanza talks from the viewpoint of a personified mirror.