A Court of Wings and Ruin

The Ouroboros mirror symbolizes Feyre’s struggle for self-acceptance and her ultimate victory in learning to forgive and love herself. When the Bone Carver first requests the mirror, Feyre doesn’t understand the difficulty of acquiring it. Keir’s later explanation is similarly vague; he says only that “everyone who has attempted [to take it] has either gone mad or been broken beyond repair” (272). In moments of frustration, Feyre often returns to thoughts of the mirror and her desire for an easier solution. Though she tries to avoid it, she must ultimately overcome her fears to meet the mysterious challenge and discover that what she was so afraid of facing was herself.

Feyre’s arc from avoidance to acceptance of the mirror’s necessity parallels her character arc from doubting her own contributions to confidently saving the world. The Ouroboros symbol, a snake eating its own tail, appears in several ancient historical cultures and often symbolizes the cycle of life and death. Maas translates this imagery into the notion of an individual being their own cause of destruction or survival: Feyre’s inability to love herself—good and bad—prevents her from saving those she loves, and she only gains the confidence she needs to save her friends by first offering herself grace.