¶ … Robert Frost's "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening"
While appearing to be a simplistic poem, it is argued that "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost is a deceptively meaningful. Using the content and style of the poem, along with consideration Frist's own views on poetry, it is hypothesised that the poem is a reflection of the ever present strain of social obligations and expectations. An outline of the paper is as follows.
Introduction to the poem the poem was written in 1922
tells the story of a narrator stopping in snowy Woods was on their way to a destination deeper meaning indicated by poem construction different commentators give different interpretations
The first verse
simple start setting the scene, aligned with Frosts' own location in New England
b. Indication of social conventions, including property ownership
The middle versus
a. Further information is provided, such as it being the darkest night of the year.
b. Poem follows a similar pattern to other, with a progression from the setting into observed action
c. The horse is the presence of a "foil," providing an alternate perspective to the main voice.
4. The last verse
a. Change in the rhyming structure, with last two lines being the same, and all four lines rather than three rhyming.
b. Some commentators interpret the reference to sleep, following reference to the darkest night as indicating suicide.
c. However, interpretation should also be considered in the context of the author
5. The poetic style
a. Frost argued poem should start with delight and endless wisdom.
b. If poem concludes with wisdom, suicide would be an uncomfortable fit.
c. In The Mowing, Frost observes that "anything more than the truth would have seemed too weak." "
d. Therefore, poems speak the truth. In the context of social conventions, and the obligation in the last verse referred to "but I have promises to keep," the poem is most likely to refer to the social obligations with the lines "and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"
Text
In 1922, two years before he won the Pulitzer Prize, Robert Frost wrote the short, and seemingly simple poem "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" (Panini, 1998). However, while the poem, which tells a short story of the narrator stopping for a while in snowy woods, while on his way to another destination, gives the appearance of a simple poem, an examination of both the format and the content may indicate a deeper meaning (Ciardi & Williams, 1975). This deeper meaning is indicated by the construction of the poem, which appears to flow effortlessly but adopts a complex form providing versus of four lines, where three lines rhyme (Ciardi & Williams, 1975). This is far more complex than the traditional four line rhyming practice, providing two sets of rhymes in alternate lines (Ciardi & Williams, 1975). The question is what could that meaning be? Montiero (1988), argues that the poem can versus with the translation of Dante's Inferno by Longfellow, echoing similar images and providing a motif of a decision to be made between two paths. Grey (1990) also sees a motif of duality, contrasting between night and day, and realistic and romantic attitudes. However, it is possible to dig even deeper when examining the poem by looking at motifs and symbols that are present and seeking an underlying meaning. Therefore, it is the hypothesis of this paper that Frost's poem is reflecting the problems and ever present strain of social obligation and expectations.
The poem starts by setting the scene, telling is where the narrator is providing a context. The first line reads "Whose woods these I think I know" (Frost, 1922). This simple statement, which reads easily, gives the reader a great deal of information, it tells us the narrator is in the woods, knowing Frost came from New England, it is possible to ignite the imagination immediately, with a picture of New England woods. Although the first line does not tell as it is snowy, this is indicated in the title, giving a relatively comprehensive picture. However, the first line also gives the first indication of social conventions and obligations; the narrator also indicates the concept of ownership, stating that he thinks he knows the owner of the woods. The concept of isolation is then created, as the next line reads "His houses in the village though" (Frost, 1922)....
Robert Frost -- Life Issues and Parallels to My Life A Life Filled with Tragic Inspiration Robert Frost was a prolific American writer and poet whose work captured the difficulties some of the most challenging periods in modern American history as well as his personal trials and tribulations. Frost's work is known for the eloquence that he was able to express using the simple language of common colloquial speech (Holman & Snyder,
Robert Frost wrote, "I have written to keep the over curious out of the secret places in my mind both in my verse and in my letters." In a poem, he wrote, "I have been one acquainted with the night." Those unfamiliar with Robert Frost's life story might not realize the significance of those words. Frost was born in a nearly lawless city and grew up in a highly dysfunctional
Robert Frost's adulthood was also riddled with loss. He often felt jealous and resentful that the quality of his poetry was slow to be recognized. Unable to support his family with his writing, for many years he had to work at various jobs, often as a teacher until his grandfather finally gave him land to live on and an allowance with on which to live (Meyers, p. 52). In addition,
"He gives his harness bells a shake / to ask if there is some mistake." The horse's action portrays the tendency of people to question those choices they don't understand. This scene can be interpreted as the disapproving voice of society voicing its demands on those of a more sensitive bent. In much the same vein as the previous stanza, Frost shows a depth of human understanding (and misunderstanding). Our
Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" tells the story of a traveler making the decision to travel the road less traveled, but looking back upon the road not taken and wondering what might have been. On first glance the reader might assume that Frost is touting the benefits of taking the road less traveled, or the path in life that is perhaps most unclear. Too many people assume that the
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.
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now