Why is the mirror important for her? (Mirror)
Why is the mirror important for her? (Mirror)
The mirror is important to her because it gives a truthful, unflattering reflection (unlike flattering candles or moonlight), and she depends on it daily to see her true face and track the changes ageing has brought.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for mentioning that she uses the mirror daily to see her true reflection and track changes in her appearance.
Hint
The mirror calls itself 'important to her' because she comes to it every morning. Think about what the mirror offers that candles and moonlight cannot.
Quick Oral Answer
The mirror is important to the woman because she depends on it every morning to see her true reflection. It is the only honest source that shows her face without flattery, unlike candles or moonlight.
Analysis & Explanation
This question from Sylvia Plath's 'Mirror' checks understanding of why the mirror matters to the woman.
Concept
- The mirror is important because it gives an honest, unflattering reflection, unlike 'candles or the moon', which it calls 'liars' for casting soft, flattering light.
- The woman relies on the mirror as part of a daily ritual, replacing 'the darkness' each morning with her own face.
- Her repeated need to consult it reveals anxiety about ageing, as she searches for traces of her younger self.
Common mistakes (परीक्षा में सावधानी)
- Writing vague answers like 'she likes looking at herself' instead of linking importance to truthfulness and daily dependence.
- For a 1-mark question, keep the answer specific and short.
Real-world
- The poem mirrors how people today check phone cameras or mirrors compulsively, tying self-worth to appearance.
Common Mistakes
- 1Writing that the woman likes the mirror or enjoys looking at herself, when in reality she is troubled and distressed by what she sees but cannot stop looking.
- 2Giving a generic answer about mirrors being used to see oneself without connecting it specifically to the poem's themes of truth, aging, and the woman's daily compulsive ritual.
- 3Confusing the mirror's importance with vanity. The woman is not vain; she is anxious and fearful about aging. Her visits to the mirror are driven by dread, not self-admiration.
Interesting Facts
Sylvia Plath wrote 'Mirror' on October 23, 1961, just two years before her death at age 30. The poem was published posthumously in her collection 'Crossing the Water' in 1971.
The use of mirrors as literary symbols dates back to ancient Greek mythology, where Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection. Plath subverts this by making the mirror a source of horror rather than admiration.
Sylvia Plath is one of the most studied poets in CBSE Class 10 English Communicative, and 'Mirror' has appeared in board exams consistently since it was added to the syllabus, with questions about the woman's relationship with the mirror being the most frequently asked.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is 'her' in this question about the poem Mirror?
The 'her' refers to the unnamed woman in the second stanza of Sylvia Plath's poem 'Mirror'. She is an aging woman who comes to the mirror every morning to examine her reflection and confront the reality of growing older.
Why does the mirror describe itself as important to the woman?
The mirror says 'I am important to her' because it is the only truly honest source of her appearance. Unlike candles and moonlight, which the mirror calls 'liars', it reflects her face without any flattery or distortion.
Is the poem 'Mirror' written from the mirror's perspective?
Yes, the entire poem is a dramatic monologue spoken by the mirror itself. This literary technique called personification allows Plath to explore themes of truth, vanity, and aging from a detached, objective viewpoint.