Mirror ~Sylvia Plath Summary and Questions Answers

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.



1. Does the mirror truly have 'no preconceptions'? Justify your answer.

Yes, the mirror truly has 'no preconceptions'. The mirror states, "I am not cruel, only truthful," and "Whatever I see I swallow immediately / Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike." This means it reflects images objectively, without being filtered by human emotions, judgments, or pre-formed ideas. It simply reflects "what it is."

2. Why would some people consider the mirror to be cruel?

Some people, particularly the woman in the poem, would consider the mirror to be cruel because the mirror presents the unvarnished truth of her appearance and age. It does not flatter or lie, but reflects her aging face honestly, which replaces the "darkness" (her hopeful or self-deceptive view). The woman seeks the mirror's reflection to search for "what she really is," but the reflection of her aging self causes her "tears and an agitation of hands," making the mirror seem cruel for its brutal honesty.

3. What becomes a part of the mirror's heart and why?

The darkness and the woman's face become a part of the mirror's 'heart' or consciousness.

  • Darkness is absorbed because the mirror is present constantly, observing the room from morning until night, "Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness."

  • The woman's face (and eventually the image of the old woman) becomes a part of the mirror's being because she is its most frequent and distressed observer. The mirror constantly reflects her and, by extension, the process of her aging.



4. Describe the woman's relationship with the mirror.

The woman's relationship with the mirror is intense, obsessive, and painfully dependent.

  • The mirror is "important" to her; she returns to it repeatedly, "searching my reaches for what she really is."

  • She is in a state of dread and denial about her aging. The mirror is a terrifying judge for her because it validates her fears, showing her the truth of her disappearing youth.

  • She hates the mirror's honesty ("cruel"), yet she is drawn back to it (as if to a "terrible fish") because it is the only source of absolute truth, unlike the flattering, deceptive "liars" (candles/moon).


5. Explain the image of the 'terrible fish'.

The mirror, now a lake, says: "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 "terrible fish" is the image of the old woman that the mirror/lake presents.

  • It is "terrible" because it is a monstrous, unwelcome truth—the unavoidable reality of her aging self, rising from the depths (the mirror's surface) to confront her.

  • The fish image also suggests something cold, alien, and submerged, emphasizing the woman's deep-seated horror and the unsettling, subconscious nature of her fear of mortality and loss of beauty.


6. Why do you think the poet chooses a mirror to discuss eternal truths?

The poet chooses a mirror to discuss eternal truths because the mirror is the perfect symbol for unwavering objectivity, timeless existence, and inescapable reality.

  • Objectivity: A mirror does not change; it reflects "just as it is." This symbolizes the eternal, unchanging truth of the human condition, such as aging and mortality.

  • Timeless Existence: The mirror claims it has existed for a long time—"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions"—suggesting it is a constant, almost god-like entity that observes the fleeting human drama.

  • Inevitable Truth: The mirror forces the woman to confront the loss of her youth ("drowned a young girl") and the rise of old age ("old woman / Rises toward her"), which are universal and eternal experiences for all humans.


 Section B: Answer these questions with reference to the context.

The contextual line is:

1. The eye of a little god, ...

a. What is the immediate context of the line?

This line is from the first stanza, where the mirror describes itself. The immediate context is the mirror stating its absolute, impartial nature and its longevity. It says, "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."

b. What does 'little god' suggest to you?

'Little god' suggests:

  • Impartiality/Objectivity: Like a minor deity, the mirror is a detached observer that records and reflects reality without judgment, bias, or emotional involvement.

  • Absolute Truth: It possesses a kind of divine truthfulness; its reflection is the ultimate, undeniable reality.

  • Omnipresence/Constancy: The mirror is always there, "four-cornered," seeing everything in its domain, much like a god. It is a constant force observing the transient world of human emotion.

c. What does this 'god' see most of the time?

This 'little god' (the mirror) sees darkness and the woman's face most of the time, as the poem says:

  • "Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall." (This is what it sees when the woman is absent).

  • "Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness." (This is what it sees when the woman is present).

Therefore, it primarily sees the opposite wall (pink, speckled, etc.) and the woman's face as she comes to examine herself.



Section A: Direct Questions


1. Does the mirror truly have 'no preconceptions'? Justify your answer.

Answer: Yes, the mirror truly has 'no preconceptions'. It states, "I am silver and exact," and "Whatever I see I swallow immediately / Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike." This means it reflects reality objectively and impartially, without being influenced by human emotions, biases, or pre-formed ideas. It simply reflects the truth.


2. Why would some people consider the mirror to be cruel?

Answer: People, especially the woman in the poem, would consider the mirror to be cruel because of its brutal honesty. The mirror shows the unvarnished truth of her aging appearance. It does not flatter or lie, and this confrontation with the loss of her youth causes her deep emotional distress ("tears and an agitation of hands"). Since the mirror reveals the painful reality, it is perceived as cruel.


3. What becomes a part of the mirror's heart and why?

Answer: The opposite wall and the woman's face/image become a part of the mirror's 'heart.'

 * The Opposite Wall: The mirror says, "I have looked at it so long I think it is part of my heart." It meditates on the wall most of the time, making its image an inseparable part of the mirror's existence.

 * The Woman's Face: Her reflection repeatedly replaces the darkness and is sought obsessively, becoming a constant, defining feature of the mirror's daily life.


4. Explain what is meant by 'it flickers'.

Answer: The phrase 'it flickers' (found in the full poem: "But it flickers. Faces and darkness separate us over and over.") refers to the opposite wall. The wall's image "flickers" because the woman's face or the darkness of night repeatedly comes between the mirror and the wall, interrupting the mirror's constant meditation. It highlights how the woman's presence is a temporary disturbance to the mirror's otherwise steady, objective existence.


5. Describe the woman's relationship with the mirror.

Answer: The woman's relationship with the mirror is intense, obsessive, and painful.

 * Dependency: She views the mirror as a source of truth, coming to it repeatedly, "Searching my reaches for what she really is."

 * Dread and Denial: She is terrified of the reality it shows—her aging face. She temporarily turns to "liars, the candles or the moon" for a softer, more flattering view, but she always returns to the mirror for the harsh, necessary truth. The relationship is a daily struggle between self-deception and painful acceptance.


6. Explain the image of the 'terrible fish'.

Answer: The 'terrible fish' is the image of the old woman that emerges from the reflection.

 * "Terrible" suggests something monstrous, shocking, or unwelcome, as the sight of her aging self horrifies her.

 * "Fish" suggests something cold, primitive, and alien rising from the depths of the lake/mirror (which symbolizes her subconscious or the passage of time). This image emphasizes the unsettling nature of inevitable old age that rises daily to confront her.


7. Why do you think the poet chooses a mirror to discuss eternal truths?

Answer: The poet chooses a mirror because it is the ideal symbol for unwavering objectivity and universal, eternal truths.

 * A mirror reflects reality exactly "Just as it is," symbolizing objective truth, which is eternal.

 * The truths discussed—the loss of youth, the inevitability of aging, and mortality—are universal experiences. By personifying the mirror as an impartial, all-seeing observer ("little god"), Plath gives these truths a timeless and inescapable presence.


8. What poetic device is used when the mirror says, "I am silver and exact"? Explain its significance.

Answer: The poetic device is Personification. The mirror is given human characteristics, such as being able to speak in the first person ("I am") and having qualities like being "exact" and having "no preconceptions." This device is significant because it allows the poet to present the abstract concepts of Truth and Objectivity through the voice of an inanimate object, making the reflection's honesty a powerful, conscious force.



9. Why does the woman prefer the candles or the moon and call them "liars"?

Answer: The woman prefers the candles or the moon because their light is soft, flattering, and deceptive. They cast shadows and blur harsh lines, making her appearance seem younger or more beautiful than it is. She calls them "liars" because she knows they offer a pleasant falsehood that allows her to temporarily escape the harsh truth of her aging face, which the mirror insists upon reflecting.



10. What is the significance of the mirror transforming into a lake in the second stanza?

Answer: The transformation of the mirror into a lake in the second stanza is significant because it deepens the themes of the poem.

 * A lake suggests greater depth and emotion than a flat mirror, symbolizing the woman's deeper internal struggle.

 * The lake has reaches that the woman searches, suggesting a deep, internal quest for her true, past identity.

 * The lake image facilitates the final metaphor of the "terrible fish" rising from the water, enhancing the sense of the old woman emerging from the depths of time and dread.







Section B: Reference to the Context (RTC)

Contextual Line:

> 1. The eye of a little god, ...


a. What is the immediate context of the line?

Answer: The line is from the first stanza, where the mirror describes its own nature. The immediate context is the mirror's declaration of its impartial and truthful character, immediately following the statement: "I am not cruel, only truthful—" The full description is: "I am not cruel, only truthful— / The eye of a little god, four-cornered."


b. What does 'little god' suggest to you?

Answer: The phrase 'little god' suggests the mirror's absolute impartiality, truthfulness, and omnipresence within its setting.

 * 'God' implies a detached, powerful, and ultimate source of unquestionable truth.

 * 'Little' suggests it is confined to a specific space (the room, its "four-cornered" shape), but within that boundary, its judgment (reflection) is final and unbiased.


c. What does this 'god' see most of the time?

Answer: This 'god' sees the opposite wall and darkness most of the time.

 * When the woman is absent, the mirror "meditate[s] on the opposite wall," which is "pink, with speckles."

 * During the night, it sees darkness.

 * The woman's face, though a significant event, only "replaces the darkness" each morning; the wall and the darkness occupy the rest of its time.






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