Mirrors have long been used in literature as metaphors for self-reflection, identity, and perception. Whether it is the literal reflection of the self or the figurative mirror of the soul, poets have found a way to weave mirrors into their verses to explore the depths of human nature and existence. In this article, we will explore twelve of the most famous poems throughout history that use mirrors to comment on life, identity, and perception.
The 12 Most Famous Poems About Mirrors and Life in History
1. “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath’s “Mirror” is one of the most striking and well-known poems in English literature. The poem is written from the perspective of the mirror itself, which speaks with a chilling clarity about its role in reflecting the truth. It addresses the passage of time and the inevitability of aging, making the mirror a tool not of vanity but of a harsh truth.
“I am silver and exact.
I have no preconceptions.
Whatever you see I swallow immediately.
Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.”
The mirror in Plath’s poem is unfeeling and truthful, devoid of emotion or bias. The speaker reflects on the woman who looks into it, providing no comfort but instead offering a stark image of the woman’s aging. The mirror becomes a symbol of self-awareness that can be uncomfortable, yet it is an essential part of understanding one’s identity. The poem explores how the mirror reveals more than physical appearance; it unveils the deeper fear of fading beauty and the fragility of human existence.
2. “The Mirror” by Louis MacNeice
Louis MacNeice’s “The Mirror” similarly presents a vision of the mirror as a reflection of self-awareness. MacNeice uses the mirror as a device to examine the relationship between the inner self and the outer self, revealing how the external world shapes our self-perception.
“Come, let me take you by the hand,
And we will walk beside the shore
Where mirrors keep their secret strand
And tell no more, and tell no more.”
The mirror in MacNeice’s poem acts as a boundary between the external and internal worlds, where one’s identity is reflected but remains elusive. The poem plays with the idea that mirrors do not merely reflect the truth but obscure it, hiding the complexities of self beneath the surface. The reflection becomes a metaphor for how humans view themselves, yet cannot fully know themselves.
3. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
In T.S. Eliot’s modernist masterpiece “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” mirrors do not appear explicitly, but the recurring themes of self-reflection and self-consciousness make it a fitting addition to this list. The protagonist, Prufrock, is a man lost in thought, constantly questioning himself and his place in the world.
“To say: ‘I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all’—
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: ‘That is not what I meant at all.
That is not it, at all.'”
Prufrock’s reflections are fragmented and indecisive, much like the image of a broken mirror that cannot give a complete picture. His inability to act on his desires and the fragmented nature of his thoughts make mirrors a fitting symbol for his internal paralysis. Eliot’s use of the mirror metaphor represents the human inability to reconcile inner thoughts with external realities.
4. “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot
Another one of Eliot’s works, “The Hollow Men,” continues the theme of spiritual emptiness and self-reflection. The hollow men, as the title suggests, are symbolic of people disconnected from their true selves, and the mirror serves as a metaphor for their lack of substance.
“Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralyzed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death’s other kingdom
Remember us—if at all—not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.”
The hollow men gaze into a metaphorical mirror but cannot see their true selves. The mirror, in this case, symbolizes an inability to reflect one’s inner life, a theme that resonates deeply with Eliot’s portrayal of spiritual emptiness and existential despair. The hollow men represent a society whose self-awareness is superficial, leaving them disconnected from true meaning.
5. “Through the Looking Glass” by Lewis Carroll
Though often categorized as a children’s book, Through the Looking-Glass, written by Lewis Carroll, contains profound philosophical insights. The “looking glass” functions as a mirror, through which the protagonist, Alice, enters a fantastical world. The mirror in this case is a symbol of perception, transformation, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion.
“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”
The mirror in Through the Looking-Glass offers more than just a reflection of Alice—it acts as a portal to another world where reality is turned upside down. This poem and its story challenge the concept of identity and self-perception, suggesting that the mirror not only reflects but transforms. Alice’s journey through the looking-glass becomes a metaphor for the malleable nature of self and identity.
6. “The Garden of Love” by William Blake
In William Blake’s “The Garden of Love,” the mirror is used as a metaphor to explore religious and spiritual themes. The poem critiques the institutionalization of religion and its disconnect from the natural and spiritual world, symbolized by the image of a garden and a distorted reflection.
“And I saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.”
The “garden” in Blake’s poem symbolizes innocence and spirituality, while the chapel represents the institutionalized, rigid structures of organized religion. The poem’s mirror imagery shows how reflection can be distorted by societal forces, leading to a disconnect between the individual and their true self. Blake critiques how external structures distort one’s innate spirituality and identity.
7. “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself is one of the most famous explorations of the self in American poetry. Whitman uses mirrors and reflections as metaphors for the fluid, evolving sense of identity.
“Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.”
In Song of Myself, the mirror symbolizes Whitman’s exploration of identity and the notion of a dynamic self. The speaker’s sense of self is constantly shifting, and mirrors in the poem represent the idea that self-awareness is not fixed but is instead an ongoing process of discovery. Whitman encourages embracing this fluidity, suggesting that one’s identity cannot be constrained by a singular reflection but is a continual evolution.
8. “I Am Not I” by Juan Ramón Jiménez
In “I Am Not I,” Juan Ramón Jiménez explores the tension between the inner self and the outer self. The poem uses the concept of the mirror to explore the idea of duality and the separation between the self we show to the world and the true self within.
“I am not I.
I am this one
Walking beside me whom I do not see,
Whom at times I manage to visit,
And whom at other times I forget.”
Jiménez uses the mirror as a symbol of the fractured self. The poem presents an internal dialogue where the speaker recognizes the discrepancy between their inner and outer worlds. The mirror becomes a metaphor for the way we construct our identities based on external perceptions, yet this reflection often fails to capture the complexity of our inner lives.
9. “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope
In this mock-epic, Alexander Pope uses the mirror to satirize the vanity and self-absorption of 18th-century aristocratic society. The mirror in the poem serves as a symbol of the characters’ obsession with their own image and superficiality.
“Now awful beauty puts on all its charms,
And, by the mirror, the fair Belinda arms.”
The mirror in The Rape of the Lock is a tool of vanity, reflecting the protagonist’s obsession with appearance. Pope critiques the trivial nature of society’s obsession with beauty and surface-level concerns, suggesting that mirrors, rather than revealing the truth, often distort reality by magnifying the importance of trivial matters.
10. “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” by John Donne
In A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, John Donne employs the metaphor of a mirror to discuss the spiritual connection between two lovers. While the poem does not explicitly reference a mirror, the metaphorical imagery and themes of reflection are central to understanding the bond between the lovers.
“Let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move,
‘Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.”
The mirror in Donne’s poem represents the clarity and purity of true love, which transcends physical separation. Donne contrasts the superficial reflections of material existence with the deeper spiritual connection that his poetry seeks to capture. The metaphorical “mirror” is a device that reflects not physical appearances but the enduring, unbreakable nature of love.
11. “A Portrait” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem A Portrait reflects on the passing of time and the changes that come with it. The mirror here symbolizes the inevitability of aging and the reflections that come with a lifetime of experiences.
“All that I am, all that I hope to be,
In you, my love, has come to me.”
In A Portrait, Browning uses the image of the mirror to reflect on how love transcends the physical and the temporal. The poem addresses the way a lover can see past the surface to the deeper qualities of the person, much like how a mirror might reveal not only the external appearance but the changes that come with love and time.
12. “Mirror, Mirror” by Anonymous
“Mirror, Mirror,” though often attributed to various sources, is a well-known phrase that has inspired countless variations in literature and popular culture. The phrase is associated with fairy tales, especially Snow White, and functions as a literal and symbolic mirror of the soul.
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?”
In this famous line, the mirror is a literal reflection of beauty, but it also serves as a symbol of self-obsession and the danger of judging oneself based on external appearances. The mirror acts as both a tool of vanity and a reflection of the deeper insecurity that often accompanies beauty standards.
Conclusion
Mirrors in poetry have been used throughout history not only as a means of reflecting physical appearances but also as a metaphor for identity, self-awareness, and existential questions. From Sylvia Plath’s chilling portrayal of the aging self to the philosophical explorations in T.S. Eliot’s works, mirrors offer a lens through which poets examine the complexities of life, perception, and reality. These twelve poems showcase the diverse ways in which mirrors can serve as symbols, revealing both the beauty and the discomfort of self-reflection, the exploration of identity, and the passage of time. Whether distorted or clear, the image in the mirror often reflects deeper truths about the human condition.
