What does mirrored mean in drama?

Mirroring in drama, also known as reflection or doubling, is a technique where characters have similar traits, experiences, backgrounds, or fates. Through mirroring, playwrights or filmmakers can use character interactions and relationships to explore different aspects of a theme or idea, provide social commentary, or highlight specific conflicts.

Mirrored characters:

• Reflect or echo qualities (personality traits, motivations, experiences, behaviors).

• Often serve parallel functions or represent extremes of certain attributes.

• Emphasize certain themes and deepen audience understanding when their stories connect or contrast.

Examples from iconic works:

In William Shakespeare's *Romeo and Juliet,* we have mirrored pairs as well as mirroring across social/family groups:

• *Romeo* and *Juliet* share deep, all-consuming passion for each other and take drastic measures to be together.

• Romeo reflects some traits and fates of Tybalt: passion, violence, hot-headedness; they eventually share tragic fates.

These examples show how mirroring reveals common traits/struggles that deepen thematic explorations