The only other character in "Mirror" is a woman. While the speaker makes no explicit statement about what it means to be female, this poem looks at what is important to a female character from the point of view of a speaker claiming to be unbiased. Our speaker, a mirror, reveals a woman concerned about her appearance and aging.
Questions About Women and Femininity
- If the mirror had a gender, would it be male or female? Would the lake be the same gender?
- How would the poem be different if the character in the second stanza were a man and not a woman?
- Why is the lake important to the woman in this poem?
- What do you imagine the woman in this poem looks like?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
This poem explores women's relationships with their physical appearances.
This poem suggests that for women, old age is terrifying.