Robert Frost

1. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost By Amanda Keogh and Sarah Phillips

2. Background • Robert Frost was born in San Francisco on March 26, 1874. • He moved to New England at the age of eleven and became interested in reading and writing poetry during his high school years in Lawrence, Massachusetts. • He was enrolled at Dartmouth College in 1892, and later at Harvard, though he never earned a formal degree. • In 1895, Frost married Elinor Miriam White, who became a major inspiration in his poetry. • The couple moved to England in 1912, after their New Hampshire farm failed. • Frost was influenced by such contemporary British poets as Edward Thomas, Rupert Brooke, and Robert Graves. • Frost died January 29, 1963(1963-01-29) at the age of 88 in Boston, Massachusetts,

3. Style Though his work is primarily associated with the life and landscape of New England, and though he was a poet of traditional verse forms and metrics who remained consistently distant from the poetic movements and fashions of his time, Robert Frost is anything but a simple poet. The author of searching and often dark thoughts on common themes, he is in essence a modern poet in his devotion to language as it is actually spoken. Frost is known for the psychological complexity of his poetry, and in the point to which his work is infused with layers of doubt and irony.

4. Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. 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 woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Summary: This poem appears to be very simple. Frost is stopping by some woods on a snowy evening. He takes in the lovely scene in near-silence, is tempted to stay longer, but acknowledges the pull of obligations and the considerable distance yet to be traveled before he can rest for the night. 1 Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening 2 Form: The poem consists of four almost identically constructed stanzas. Each line is iambic, with four stressed syllables. (Iambic tetrameter) Within the four lines of each stanza, the first, second, and fourth lines rhyme. The third line does not, but it sets up the rhymes for the next stanza The exception to this pattern comes in the final stanza, where the third line rhymes with the previous two and is repeated as the fourth line. This is a very difficult form to achieve. 3 4 Lines follow an iambic tetrameter

5. Discussion • The basic conflict in the poem is between an attraction toward the woods and the pull of responsibility outside of the woods. What do woods represent? • These woods are someone’s woods—the owner lives in the village. Frost faces a decision between the village (society, duty) and the woods (peace, solitude) The woods sit on the edge of civilization; one way or another, they draw the speaker away from it (and its promises, its good sense). • Society would condemn stopping here in the dark, in the snow. Even the horse thinks it is odd. • The line “And miles to go before I sleep” could be read as referring to Frost’s career as a poet, and at this time he had plenty of good poems left in him. Frost feels that he has many poems to write before he dies.

6. Characteristics of Romanticism • Focus’ on the needs and emotions of the individual- desire for relaxation and solitude. Frost’s presence in the woods allows him to feel peace and solitude, but at the same time, obligation and responsibility. • The use of woods (nature) allows Frost to become attuned with his soul. The woods allow him to understand life and its meaning. • The conflict between desire and responsibility. • The thirst of the human spirit for meaning and the search for answers to the problem of existence. Nature allows humans to look within themselves and find what it is they are looking for. • The value of responsibility and dedication. • . The long journey of life, Frost cannot simply stand still and meditate upon nature. The world continues to revolve around him. • The poem is an allegory for life- the need to enjoy what life has to offer and not be caught up in the day to day trappings.

7. Fire and Ice Summary Frost is considering the question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice. In the end he determines that either option would achieve its purpose sufficiently well. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. • Form: “Fire and Ice” follows an invented form, irregularly interweaving three rhymes into a poem of nine lines. The poem varies between two meter lengths (either eight syllables or four syllables) and uses three sets of interwoven rhymes, based on “-ire,” “-ice,” and “-ate.” Extended metaphor Symbol Tone

8. Discussion • This short poem asks the question about the fate of the world, wondering if it is more likely to be destroyed by fire or ice. Frost first concludes that the world must end in fire after considering his personal experience with desire and passion, the emotions of fire. Yet, after considering his experience with “ice,” or hatred, he acknowledges that ice would be equally destructive. • It is unclear which element will destroy the world, but it is significant to note that fire and ice are the only options. The poem does not allow for any other possibilities in terms of the world’s fate. • Interestingly, the two possibilities for the world’s destruction correspond directly to a common scientific debate during the time Frost wrote the poem. Some scientists believed that the world would be incinerated from its fiery core, while others were convinced that a coming ice age would destroy all living things on the earth’s surface. • Frost introduces a more emotional side, associating passionate desire with fire and hatred with ice. Within this metaphorical view of the two elements, the “world” can be recognized as a metaphor for a relationship. Too much fire and passion can quickly consume a relationship, while cold indifference and hate can be equally destructive.

9. Characteristics of Romanticism • Dramatic monologue • Elements of nature to symbolize the strongest extremes of human emotion.   • Contemplates the faults of human kind and the overall meaning of life, if we eventually cause each other’s destruction. • Nature is so powerful that it has control over the fate of human beings. • The struggle of finding the meaning of life, the struggle of existence. Human beings struggle to exist in the world • Nature allows the individual to experience the extremities of emotion.

10. Conclusion • Robert Frosts poetry is a mixture between romanticism and a more modern style of writing.