The Theme of the Mask and the Mirror

Examines the motifs of the mask and the mirror in Clamence's narrative, representing identity and self-deception.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Double Face

The charming Janus A profession of duplicity Clamence had a double face. He was a play actor, as his card said. His life was a performance. He was aware of his own duplicity after the fall. The mask of virtue Before the fall, he was unaware of the mask. He thought his virtue was real. The mask was his true face, but he didn't know it.

The Mirror of Confession

The portrait as a mirror Showing the mask to others Clamence constructs a portrait of himself that is a mask, but he shows it as a mirror. His listeners see themselves in him. He is both the mask and the mirror. The reflection of guilt By confessing, he forces others to see their own guilt. The mirror reveals the truth. The mask is a tool for this revelation. The theme of the mask and the mirror is central to his method.

Throughout Clamence's life

In his judge-penitent practice