Stopping Woods a Snowy Evening Frost Frost:

Stopping Woods a Snowy Evening

Frost

Frost: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

This is one of Robert Frost's most famous poems. Its apparent simplicity is deceptive and there is a great deal of depth and complexity that can be gleaned from an interpretation of the poem. Ostensibly, the poem deals with a traveler on horseback who rides out on the darkest night of the year. He stops to gaze in wonder and amazement at the woods and the thick snow that is falling. However, while he is intensely attracted by the beauty of the scene that he observes, he also has responsibilities and duties that he has to take care of and he has to leave this tranquil scene and continue on his journey.

One of the central elements of the poem is the sense of stillness and peace that the poet evokes through his use of language. This can be clearly seen in the third stanza of the poem.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The intense stillness of the woods and the almost inaudible falling snow is contrasted with one single sound -- the harness bell of the horse. This crisp sound acts as a sort of counterpoint to the silence and serves to highlight the intensity of the quietness and stillness of the falling snow on the woods. The only other sounds are the "… sweep / Of easy wind and downy flake."

Note that the words "sweep" and "easy" suggest a very soft movement of air and snow, which emphasizes the gentle stillness of the scene that is being observed. This sense of delicate quiet is stressed even further by the word "downy." The atmosphere of intense stillness and the wonder and mystery of nature is further enhanced by the first line of the last stanza, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep."

There is a simplicity and directness in this line which creates a sense of wonder and enjoyment at nature. However, there is also a tinge of mystery and possibly danger in the words "dark" and "deep." There is the suggestion that the protagonist is mesmerized by the scene that he is viewing.

The last lines of the poem are among the most often quoted in English poetry. There is a great deal of meaning that is encapsulated in the reported lines "And miles to go before I sleep." The protagonist has duties or promises to keep that makes him move away from the entrancing scene that he is observing. The last two lines emphasize that he has a great distance still to cover before he reaches his destination and can sleep. One could interpret these lines in a number of ways.

This poem can also be interpreted as a contrast or conflict between the individual who is attracted to the beauty of nature and the responsibilities of everyday life that he has to face. In this sense, the last two lines, through their repetition, emphasize that the protagonist has to face the duties and responsibilities of life and cannot indulge in an exploration of the enticing mystery that he sees in the stillness of nature. It is also significant to note the contrast in the poem between the stillness of the night and the woods covered with falling snow and the human activity and restlessness of the rider.

The repetitions of the last two lines are also extremely important in terms of a deeper interpretation of the poem. The repetition of the lines creates a certain impact and emphasis that resonates throughout the poem. Is the poet implying that he is tired of ordinary life and would like to remain in the woods? In this case the repetition would suggest an expression of weariness of life and a desire to escape the toil and duty of human existence.