Literary analysis approaches and methods

Robert Frost treats several themes in his short lyrical poem, "The Road Not Taken." First, Frost focuses on the notion of choice and decision: the narrator is faced with a fork in the road and must choose which path to take. He momentarily wishes that he could travel both paths at once and still be "one traveler," (line 3). After hemming and hawing, the narrator chooses the path less trodden. Why the narrator made this decision is not made entirely clear, but Frost suggests that the traveler almost took pity on the road: "it was grassy and wanted wear," (line 8). However, he notices that although he imagined that the one path seemed less worn, that both were "really about the same," (line 10). Finally, the third stanza of Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" explicates the most significant theme of the poem: that of regret. This theme pervades the poem and lends it its title. The narrator sighs and wonders if he shall ever be able to explore the road not taken; he ceases to enjoy the moment and becomes lost in the past and the future. The narrator of "The Road Not Taken" does not describe the path, but rather, how he felt about leaving the other path behind. Frost's tone throughout "The Road Not Taken" is wistful. He wonders where the other path would have led, doubting that he will ever be able to find out. However, Frost's tone is not melancholy. Through lively rhythm and pacing, Frost combines hope and curiosity with the central theme of regret. The poem ends on an open note, just as it began. What exactly "the difference" his choice made is unclear, but through the poet's diction, it is clear that the narrator is not so much disappointed with the path he took as he is curious about the path he didn't take. With his lyrical poem "The Road Not Taken," Frost employs various literary devises to create a dual sense of curiosity and regret in the reader.

One of the key literary devises used by Frost in the poem "The Road Not Taken" is careful diction. Because the poem is only comprised of four five-line stanzas, Frost must make deliberate and effective word choices. Therefore, Frost's decision to start six lines with the conjunction "and" is significant. Beginning a line with the word "and" helps the poet convey a rambling narrative, reflecting the wistful mood of the narrator. Significantly, Frost does not use many adjectives in the poem "The Road Not Traveled." In the first line the poet describes the "yellow wood," but besides the "grassy" path that "wanted wear," Frost does not describe scenery (lines 1; 8). Instead, he focuses on the mood of the narrator and the general themes of the poem. This is not a poem describing "the road not taken." Frost's economy of words allows him to focus more on mood than on sensory description.

Mood in "The Road Not Taken" is also carried by rhythm and rhyme schemes. To keep the rhythm and pacing of the poem lively, Frost must use his words sparingly, as "The Road Not Taken" is a concise lyrical poem. The rhyme pattern is ABAAB throughout the poem, making "The Road Not Taken" full of a musical quality. The rhyme and rhythm in Frost's work contributes to the uplifting tone that counteracts the general theme of regret. The narrator, who tells the story in past tense, emphasizes his regret. However, "The Road Not Taken" does not feel heavy, dark, or melancholy. The narrator's sense of regret is due not to a mistake he has made but from a desire to be able to experience all aspects of life. The road not taken thus becomes a metaphor for any missed experience in life. The sense of regret in Frost's poem is connected more with curiosity than with remorse.

Because the poem is told in first person, it has the feels of a narrative story. This contributes further to the liveliness of Frost's verses. "The Road Not Taken" also feels lively because of the narrator's contagious indecision. Therefore, Frost's poem is an engaging work. Regret is a universal human emotion, and Frost employs an accessible metaphor in "The Road Not Taken." Indecision is also a universal part of human experience, and Frost's rambling narrative creates a sense of indecision in the reader. When first confronted with the fork in the road, the narrator immediately feels indecisive.

One of the more mysterious meanings of "The Road Not Taken" is the theme of individuality. The narrator chooses the road less traveled, which made "all the difference" as he looks back. Frost offers no clear indication of why this choice made "all the difference." Perhaps the narrator has a keen sense of individuality and uniqueness and does not wish to follow the crowd. However, Frost also indicates that the narrator communes with the paths themselves. In the second stanza, the narrator makes his fateful choice based on the path "wanting wear." The road less traveled beckons the narrator to traverse it. However, as soon as he embarks on that road, the narrator wonders what he is missing out on and doubts if he will be ever be able to find out.