While some symbols in Frost's poetry are extreme, others are more subtle. In "Design," the poet uses the smallest of objects to serve as symbols. In addition, he uses them in an unusual manner to make an impact upon the reader. He tells us the spider is white, dimpled, and fat, similar to a chubby baby. The moth is akin to a paper kite. These images a re happy ones that we do not normally associated with death. The moth is rigid, even though it is like silk and the reference makes readers think of the silk lining we find in coffins. The speaker then begins to speak about the "characters of death and blight / Mixed" (Design 4-5) as the "the ingredients of a witches' broth" (7). These symbols of death create tension in the poem as the speaker ponders the big issues in life. This tiny scene represents the whole of life in that it contains aspects of nature. This prompts the speaker to consider a Godless universe, asking, "What but design of darkness to appall?-- / if design govern in a thing so small" (13-4). Here we see how Frost can see so much unfolding within a single event. His observation leads him to an important question about the universe itself and the poem passes that question along to readers, so they may consider the magnificence of the universe as the poet does.
The beauty and magnitude of the universe does not need to be shouted from mountaintops to be recognized. To the contrary in Frost's world, as we see in "Stopping by Woods," where the world is quiet but filled with beauty. Again, the poet provides symbols in nature. The poet stops to enjoy the view as the woods "fill up with snow" (Stopping 4) on the "darkest evening of the year" (5). The peacefulness of that moment is reflected with a scene so quiet he hears the "wind and downy flake" (11) falling around him. The entire scene symbolizes peace and tranquility in contrast to the real world, to which he is headed. The promises he must keep are symbols of the things that tear us away from the simplicity of life and the beauty of nature. The "miles to go before I sleep" (15) also represent the distractions of the world. Life is not always easy and sometimes it calls us away from the things we would rather be doing. This poem points out the business of life eloquently. It also urges us to enjoy those stolen moments while we can because nothing lat forever.
Frost makes excellent points about nothing lasting forever in many of his poems. In "Nothing Gold Can Stay," gold is the primary symbol. It represents many thing, namely beauty and all things we consider beautiful. The poet introduces ideas of new beginnings in the poem by mentioning Eden and dawn. However, not all of the things the poet...
The third and fourth lines of the poem emphasize the idea of silence and separateness. There was an hour All still From the above lines it becomes clear that the poem is describing a particular moment or an important short space of time. This fits in well with the idea of the poem as an epiphany. The first action occurs when the poet leans against a flower and hears a voice. When leaning
Robert Frost's famous poem, "Birches," might be described as a poem of redemptive realism, a poem that offers a loving, yet tinged-by-the-tragic view of life as seen through the metaphors of nature. In fact, Robert Frost could be called a kind of subversive pastoralist, for unlike the romantic nature poets who preceded him, such as Wordsworth, he sees nature's wildness, her beauty, and yet her relentless harshness as well. The
While the poems are no doubt universal, we can see elements of Americana sprinkled throughout them. Cultural issues such as decision-making, the pressure of responsibility and duty, and the complexity of death emerge in many poems, allowing us to see society's influence on the poet. In "The Road Not Taken," we see how life is filled with choices. Because we are American, we are lucky enough to experience freedom
Choices seen as roads that appear to be the same are more clear because they allow us to understand that many choices in life are not black and white but gray. Regardless of that, we still must decide which way to go. The literal forest with its paths represents life and the seemingly unimportant choices we make everyday. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAAB and it is made
He is now content and grateful for his decision, remarking, "and that has made all the difference" (Frost 20). The body of the poem, therefore, allows readers insight into the narrators mind as he or she makes this decision, as he or she realizes that this moment will never again return. Readers are made to feel that they are actually with the narrator as he or she makes his
Figurative Language in Robert Frost's Poetryand "The Metamorphosis" Robert Frost is one poet that always utilizes figurative speech in dramatic ways. By employing the literary techniques of symbolism and personification, Frost is able to craft many poems that make us think and feel about many aspects of life. This paper will examine several examples of Frost's figurative language and how they relate to the overall messages of Frost's poetry. In his famous
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