Point of View

One of the most recognizable traits of Sylvia Plath’s "Mirror" is its point of view. Told from the perspective of a mirror, the speaker speaks in first person throughout the poem, frequently using pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “mine.” All transpiring events are narrated from its point of view, including the setting, the opposite wall, and the woman.

Plath is intentional and strategic about this choice of speaker and perspective, which effectively foregrounds the themes of vision and appearance that surface later in the piece. The personification of the speaker fosters an immediate sense of intimacy and immersion for the reader; we are also able to vicariously “see” through the mirror, thus deepening our experience and understanding of the woman. Consequently, by constructing a first-person speaker, Plath encourages the reader to invest emotionally and sympathize with the woman in a way the mirror – as...