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“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath

“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath. Oksana Veres Period 4 English 9A. https://www.google.com/search?q=sylvia+plath&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jI6IU8LPJMXy8QGU_oCoDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=673#facrc=_&imgdii. Plath’s Life. Born: October 27, 1932 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

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“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath

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  1. “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath Oksana Veres Period 4 English 9A https://www.google.com/search?q=sylvia+plath&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jI6IU8LPJMXy8QGU_oCoDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=673#facrc=_&imgdii

  2. Plath’s Life • Born: October 27, 1932 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts • Died: February 11, 1963 in London, England Family • Her father, Otto Emil Plath, was a professor and German immigrant & mother, Aurelia Schober Plath, was his former student, 20 years younger than him • Otto died in 1940 when Sylvia was 8 years old • Married Ted Hughes, a fellow student she meets at Newnham College later on in life Schooling • Attended Smith College where she studied vigorously became infatuated with academic achievement and social success • Later went to Newnham College in Cambridge, England

  3. Influence/Inspiration • Her father’s death significantly impacted her poetry Depression & Anxiety • Suffered from anxiety and recurrent depression throughout her life influenced her dark sense of poetry • Went to electroshock therapy, but increased her anxiety • August 1953 – failed attempt at suicide • Her husband was unfaithful & they got divorced • Moved away from him with her 2 kids to London • Continued to suffer with depression & anxiety till committing suicide in 1963

  4. Theme • Plath tends to write about herself; on her personal experiences Common Themes • In her poems, themes often revolve around: - Death (her father’s death, wanting to die, etc.) - Victimization (she felt like a victim to the men in her life: father, husband, etc.) - Patriarchy (wrote about how women weren’t treated fairly in the 50s/60s - The beauty of nature - The self (personal demons, internal struggles, etc.)

  5. Continued… Theme of “Mirror” • Aging is inevitable This poem’s theme is similar to others Plath has written because it is about identity/searching for oneself, a common topic in her work. • She writes so much about her personal life, based from her anxiety & depression anticipating the future is a huge component of anxiety

  6. Poetic Devices • “I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.”: personification – personifying mirror with human characteristics/ability • “Whatever I see, I swallow immediately.” : metaphor – a mirror can’t actually swallow something, Plath is describing how a mirror shows every part of you • “I am not cruel, only truthful” : oxymoron – Plath uses cruel & truthful as if they were opposites, although they’re not

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