Oh Mirror, If You Could Only See Yourself Now - Renee Davis

            Mirrors. A piece of sheet glass coated with metal. Mirrors. We hate them, yet we can’t escape them. We see our image everywhere—in windows, bathrooms, screens, water—but what we actually see is not clear. Do we see our real selves, our soul? Or do we see a 2 dimensional illusion, a false reversed image? Perhaps as we look deeper into the mirror and the world it inhabits, the answer will reveal itself.

Looking into the Past

Mirrors were not nearly as commonplace as they are today. In times past, the possession of a mirror, or “looking glass”, was restricted to the ruling classes. The ability to manage their appearances gave the ruling classes an advantage over the lower classes (Lubbers, 2007). The mirrors sported by the upper classes were not devised of the metal-covered glass mirror that we know today. Until glassmaking become mainstream in the seventeenth century, the traditional looking glasses were made out of polished metal. The metal mirrors were typically neither very smooth nor flat, often giving a distorted reflection (Lubbers, 2007; Pendergrast, 2004).

In a mirror’s distorted reflection, vague and abstract shapes emerge and meld together in constant motion. The reflection is a false one. We are reminded of the novel by Lewis Carroll Through the Looking-Glass, And What Alice Found There, which developed the fantasy of the world inside the mirror to an extreme.

            One might wonder- what came before the looking glass? Neolithic mirrors have been discovered to be polished obsidian. The ancient Egyptians crafted mirrors by polishing bronze or copper into round, oval or square mirrors. The Romans were possibly the first to use glass in their mirror-making. Mirrors dating back to 2^nd and 3^rd century A.D. have been discovered in ancient Roman graves (Lubbers, 2007; Pendergrast 2004).

During the Middle Ages glassblowing became commonplace. Mirrors were manufactured by pouring a mixture of metals (typically lead, antimony, and tin) into the molten glass disc while it was still hot. As these discs cooled, they were cut into pieces and sold as smaller mirrors. These mirrors were considerably convex, giving the viewer a distorted image. A variation on this mirror-making process produced a curious object named “mercury mirrors”. An amalgam of tin and mercury is used to create a sort of liquid mirror. The process and ingredients are tightly held secrets, and it is still speculated how these “mercury mirrors” were made (Lubbers, 2007; Pendergrast 2004).

And of course, before all this, there was seeing your reflection in a pool of water.

Varieties of Mirrors

Aside from the our modern mirror—made from coating sheet glass with a thin layer of metal (typically aluminum)—there exists countless types of mirrors, each with their own rich history and intrigue.

The Aranmula Kannadi is a mirror made in the Kerala region in India. Unlike the commonplace sheet glass mirror, no glass is used in the manufacturing of an Aranmula Kannadi. These legendary mirrors use a rare (and highly secretive) and traditional method of production that makes it a “front surface reflection mirror”. That is, instead of light beams traveling through the glass and then reaching the reflective metal surface, the light beams are immediately reflected on the front side of the mirror. This reduces the fine reflection distortion that the back-reflecting sheet glass mirrors create. An individual mirror sells at approximately 100,000 USD. Having many Aranmula Kannadis in the home are rumored to bring good luck (Aranmula Kannadi website, no date).

Mirrors are used for purposes other than appearance. LMTs (Liquid Mirror Telescopes) are a new upgrade to the older telescopes using the “honeycomb mirrors” (Frantz, no date). Even as early as the Renaissance, mirrors were used for a writing technique known as “mirror writing”. One can write backwards by holding a mirror next to a page to be written on. Leonardo DaVinci used this technique in his notebooks. Some believe DaVinci’s reasons for using mirror writing were to hide his ideas and inventions from the Catholic Church, although it is still debated to this day (Science Learning Network, 1997; Pendergrast 2004).

The Plains people of North America used small hand mirrors to send signals to each other in the daytime. It was a popular alternative to smoke signals, as the small mirrors were portable, and the signals could be seen over many miles (Donn, no date).

There are also one-way mirrors—glass that can be seen through on one side, and appears as a mirror on the other—used in interrogation rooms and to detect shoplifters. Motorcyclists also have the pleasure of enjoying mirrors on their sunglasses, as there are now rear-view and side-view sunglasses (Pendergrast, 2004).

And of course, there is the House of Mirrors. They exist solely for confusing the spatial senses. The House of Mirrors has its origins in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. Upon visiting the Hall of Mirrors, Peter Stuyvesant created the first House of Mirrors in New Amsterdam in 1651. The admission: one Dutch gulden (Allen, 2006; Pendergrast 2004).

A House of Mirrors consists of warped mirrors arranged in a labyrinth-like fashion to confuse and disorient the guest. Concave mirrors give an effect of appearing taller; convex mirrors make one appear shorter. Wavy mirrors have the effect of elongating the legs, torso, or neck (Allen, 2006; DAFE, no date; Pendergrast, 2004).

The House of Mirrors may be part of a larger attraction known as a funhouse. Funhouses were originally known as “Dark Rides”, an amusement park attraction that leads riders in a mechanical car and follows a single track through a dark indoor space—surprising them along the way with eerie pop-out surprises, jolts and scares. Dark Rides were formerly called “Old Mill Rides”. Old Mill Rides first came to the United States in 1902. The visitor rode in a log on the water (hence the “old mill”) and visited various spooky displays. Old Mill Rides were also the predecessor to the famous Tunnel of Love (Allen, 2006; DAFE, no date; LaCross, no date; Pendergrast, 2004).

A Mirror in Every Home

A couple of centuries ago, mirrors were an item of luxury possessed only by the upper classes. However, toward the end of the nineteenth century, mirrors became a staple item in the middle class American home. The Industrial Revolution mainstreamed many industrial processes, making the manufacturing of the mirror much less expensive. Within a century, the mirror transformed from a rare luxury item to a commonplace household item, embedded neatly above the bathroom sink (Brumberg, 1997; Pendergrast, 2004).

It was a seemingly small advancement for mirrors, but it had a great effect on the beauty and cosmetics industry. As females of all ages had frequent access to their images, a chronic obsession with the mirror’s reflection developed. The mirror stimulated great concern about the face. Adolescent acne was of a particular concern. Acne was believed to be a symptom of sexually deviant behavior (masturbation in particular). As the twentieth century progressed, more women and adolescents entered the workforce and had more disposable income. They soon became a hotly contested market by the cosmetic and beauty industries. An obsession with the mirror’s image combined with new disposable income made revenues for the beauty industries skyrocket. Even new hairstyles emerged to cover up “the unsightlies” on the forehead. One of the most popular hairstyles enjoyed by middle class adolescent girls was and still is: Bangs (Brumberg, 1997; Pendergrast, 2004).

Psychological Complexes in the Mirror

What can go wrong when we look in the mirror?

The myth of Narcissus soon comes to mind—the tale of the god Narcissus who falls in love with his reflection in a pool of water. Narcissus was the envy of all the gods and goddesses. One particular nymph, Echo, fell in love with Narcissus. He coldly rejected her. As revenge, the god Nemesis set a trap for Narcissus in a pool of water on Mt. Helicon. Narcissus caught his image in the pool of water and fell in love with the image. He fell into the pool and drowned. In his place the gods left a flower (Upright, 1997).

Here we observe the danger of falling in love with the image in the mirror. Because it is not a true image, but a reversed reflection, we can fall in love with a 2-dimensional reality (Dore, 2006). One mirror, called the “True Mirror”, is a non-reversing mirror. The effects of looking into the “True Mirror” are quite dramatic, and include greater self-esteem, greater self-awareness, infatuation and complete avoidance of the image. Some of the comments by “True Mirror” customers:

Aside from the pathological self-love labeled as narcissism, there exists a completely opposite complex associated with mirrors. This is catoptrophobia, or fear and avoidance of mirrors (Beard, 2006). And there is also Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a condition in which sufferers avoid their reflection as a result of imagined deformities and defects. The condition affects all ages, although it most commonly appears at age 17 and is frequently accompanied by perfectionism (Powell, 2006).

Mirror Superstitions and Lore

            Superstitions and myths have always cloaked the mirror in mystery for ages. Because the nature of the reflection is by itself mystical, and all cultures include colorful superstitions, beliefs, and practices using the mirror.

            Mirrors often represent alternate realities and dimensions. Scrying is a type of divination practice in which the individual attempts to communicate with other unearthly realms. The famous Enochian magician of the Elizabethan court, John Dee, was the first to make the practice of scrying widely known (Pendergrast, 2004). Of the many types of scrying, black mirror scrying is the most common. A mirror is coated with a matte black material (typically lampblack) and the individual gazes into it, allowing her eyes to relax and allow images to present themselves to her. Similar techniques are used with a candle flame, crystal bowl, and bowl of water (Frazer, 1922).

            Another divination technique involves fogging the bathroom mirror and observing shapes and patterns that emerge as the steam collects on the mirror and drips.

            But if bathroom mirrors aren’t fancy enough, there are always magic mirrors to use. The Theurgic Mirror is a bottle of clear water that a child gazes into. As he asks questions, Archangel Gabriel will respond in pictures. The Swedenborgian Mirror is a paste of graphite mixed with olive oil and poured onto an ordinary mirror and allowed to dry for several days. The Magnetic Mirror is a round crystal globe filled with magnetized water. The Narcotic Mirror is a crystal globe filled with water and powders of belladonna, henbane, mandrake, hemp, poppy, and other baneful herbs. The Galvanic Mirror is made of 2 discs, one copper and concave, the other zinc and convex. Both discs are magnetized 9 times in 9 days (Crystal, no date).

            And how could we discuss mirror lore without speaking of the superstition that breaking a mirror means 7 years of bad luck? While origins of this superstition remain unknown, many “cures” for this curse exist. They include touching a piece of the broken mirror to a tombstone, burning the broken shards, lighting 7 white candles and blowing them all out in one breath at midnight, making a cross over your body with a $5 bill, and throwing salt over your left shoulder (Crystal, no date; Frazer, 1922).

            There are also many cultural taboos on when not to look in a mirror. After someone dies or is born, mirrors should be covered. This is done so their soul may make the transition into or out of this world without being snatched by unearthly beings inhabiting the alternate reality in the mirror. For this reason, mirrors are also covered when a member of the household is seriously ill, to discourage their soul from taking flight. It is also said that if you sleep in the presence of a mirror, your soul energy will be zapped away as you sleep. Babies are also often protected from mirrors from the first few years of life (Frazer, 1922; Pendergrast, 2004).

Mirrors may also signify a death in the family. If a mirror breaks on its own, it is said a member of the household will soon die. The ancient Romans held a belief that if one dreamt of their reflection they would soon die (Frazer, 1922).

Also, more notably, only those who have a soul have a reflection. Ghost, vampires, and other questionable creatures have no reflection (Frazer, 1922). So the next time you and a friend are in a mirror and only your reflection shows, it’s time to start asking questions.

 From reflective pools to mercury mirrors, honeycomb mirrors to Narcotic mirrors—mirrors have forever altered how we see ourselves. The ongoing debate about what is actually seen in the mirror (the false reversed self, the 2 dimensional illusion, the soul?) sparks intense contemplation of the very nature of our physical existence. But the more we try to look and see what the mirror reveals, we always end up just seeing ourselves.

When it comes down to it, the mystery and intrigue of the mirror simply reflects our own attitudes, beliefs, and values.

 

References

“Aranmula Kannadi”. No date. 28 May 2007. <http://www.aranmulakannadi.com>

“Mirror: Definition, Synonyms, and Much More.” Answers.com. 2007. 24 May 2007. <http://www.answers.com/topic/mirror>

“True Mirror: Non-reversing Mirror.” The True Mirror Company, Inc. 2007. 24 May 2007. <http://www.truemirror.com>

Allen, Mark. “Do Not Enter! Go Back! Proceed at Your Own Peril!” Mark Allen. 14 Jul 2006. 25 May 2007. <http://www.markallencam.com/?p=16>

Beard, Robert. “Corrected List of Phobias”. Alphadictionary.com. 2006. 28 May 2007. <http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/phobias.html>

Brumberg, Joan Jacobs. The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. New York: Random House, Inc.,  1997.

Carroll, Lewis. Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There. New York: Macmillan, 1872.

Crystal, Ellie. “Mirror Messages.” Crystalinks. 27 May 2007. <http://www.crystalinks.com/mirrors.html>

DAFE: Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts. Stone, Julie. 25 May 2007. <http://www.dafe.org>

Donn, Don. “Daily Life in Olden Times: The Plains Peoples.” Mr.Donn.org. 26 May 2007. <http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/plains.html>

Dore, Yves. “The Narcissus Syndrome Revealed.” 2006. 25 May 2007. < http://yvesdore.com/mirror.html>

Frantz, Marc. “Liquid Mirror Telescopes.” Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis- Department of Mathematics. 26 May 2007. <http://www.math.iupui.edu/m261vis/LMirror/LMirror.html>

Frazer, Sir James George. The Golden Bough. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1922.

Easthope, Robert. “A Brief History of Mirrors.” Reflections Again. 25 May 2007. <h>

LaCross, George . Laffin in the Dark. 25 May 2007. <http://www.laffinthedark.com/main.htm>

Lubbers, T. “The History of Mirrors.” Vision2Form Design. 27 May 2007. < http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/mlahcc.html>

Pendergrast, Mark. Mirror Mirror: History of the Human Love Affair with Reflection. New York: Basic Books, 2004.

Powell, Alvin. “Professor Shines Light on Shadowy Condition: MGH’s Body Dysmorphic Disorder Clinic offers help.” Harvard University Gazette. 02 Feb 2006. 26 May 2007. <http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/02.02/17-body.html>

Upright, Morgan. “Narcissus”. Encyclopedia Mythica. 03 Mar 1997. 28 May 2007. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/narcissus.html>