One of the most well-known female poets has to be Sylvia Plath. But perhaps, her fame has been misguided; she is better known for the tragedy and suffering she endured, as opposed to her poetic excellence that encompasses what it means to be human.
Plathian literature, to simply put it, is as human as it gets. Sure, she employs the usual poetic devices but that isn’t why she’s celebrated – it’s simply because she has the courage to say what we all think. If we look at her 1961 piece, “Mirror,” it’s obvious that the personification of the mirror is what gives the poem its essence. The first stanza talks about the mirror having no misconceptions — “truthful,” “unmisted by love or dislike”- just as children are. This is a reflection of innocence and times of mindless behavior, which we all grow out of so much quicker than we would like to.
The second stanza retains the reflective element and attaches it to a lake, a natural mirror if you will. A woman is looking at her reflection and is displeased but also thankful, in a sense. Her life has been filled with “candles” and the “moon” — all of which licensed her with the ability to look at an ideal self. This, in my opinion, is symbolic of the material things that allow us to alter our identities; But, when we return to nature, we see ourselves for who we really are — raw, scared, ugly, and ultimately human.
I highly recommend that you give the poem a read. Unfortunately, most reviews reduce Plath to either suicidal or feminist – both of which aren’t the entirety of her work. Instead of the reviews, read Plath. Her poems seem to be about one thing, and it does justice to that one element; it’s very much about mortality and human insignificance. So when you’re worked up about something, read her; when you’re in need of acceptance, read her; when you forget purpose, read her — she’ll remind you that none of it matters and there’s always something more.