Mirror Theme of Women and Femininity

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.

1. If the mirror had a gender, would it be male or female? Would the lake be the same gender?
2. How would the poem be different if the character in the second stanza were a man and not a woman?
3. Why is the lake important to the woman in this poem?
4. What do you imagine the woman in this poem looks like?

This poem explores women's relationships with their physical appearances.

This poem suggests that for women, old age is terrifying.