Robert Frost Archives

The Idea Of Loneliness And Isolation In The Poems By Robert Frost

Posted on December 16, 2024 | by Laureen

In our current world, although it may not seem so, isolation and loneliness are themes that are relatively present in our society. Robert Lee Frost, an American poet, famously known for poems surrounding these themes comments on the nature of the society that we live in and how we as humans interact with each other. The difficulty in communication and relating to one another leads to people tending to shut themselves off from one and other. The exploration of themes is mainly done in poems such as Mending Wall, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, and Acquainted with the Night. Throughout Frost’ troubled life filled with illness and loss of loved ones, we learn about his view of isolation in the world based on his personal experiences. This raises the line of inquiry: How does Robert Frost communicate the idea of loneliness and isolation in his poems? Through an analysis of Frosts’ use of poetic techniques such as repetition, personification and other stylistic devices.

The ‘Mending Wall’ is a perfect example of how the absence of communication creates a form of self-isolation. There is a wall between two neighbouring farms which although being a simple structure causes a separation between two worlds so to speak. It is clear the narrator and mother nature are against the wall seen through quotes such as,

‘That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,

And spills the upper boulders in the sun;’

Whereas the neighbour believes, ‘Good fences make good neighbours’. It’s as if even nature is trying to force the wall down that separates both farms as it ‘sends frozen-ground-swell under it spilling the upper boulders in the sun’ thereby causing the wall to break down and having to be repaired every year. There is a sort of back and forth fight going on with the narrator and the neighbour. Continuously there are statements referring to the uselessness and no purpose of the wall; then followed by a repeated statement ‘goods fences neighbours make good neighbours’. The narrator is struggling to reach out to the neighbour and is constantly hit with a forceful brick wall statement which he finds too hard to get past. However, many attempts the narrator makes to communicate or convince the neighbour; there is no hope. Even while repairing it can be seen as a sign from mother nature to bring the two closer together. However, through Frost’s use of language, we know that once again the same cycle will continue,

‘And on a day we meet to walk the line

And set the wall between us once again.

We keep the wall between us as we go.’

Frost also makes use of symbolism to reinforce his point.

As the hunters break down the wall in order to hunt and let the rabbits come from their hiding or isolation spot. Even this can be seen as an ‘attempt’ from mother nature to bring the wall down. However, it is pointed out to the neighbour he this time refers to it as ‘the mischief’ that spring brings with it. This can be seen as a final attempt by mother nature whereafter they both remain in isolation. Frost proves from this that isolation is not only as a result of physical obstructions, but that lack of communication also plays a significant role.

The theme of loneliness and isolation is not only present in Mending wall but also in Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy evening but for a different reason. Rather than the more psychological loneliness, in Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening is more physical isolation. The narrator in this poem finds himself all isolated from the rest of the village alone with himself. Whereas we usually associate isolation and loneliness as negative in this poem rather than than the narrator seeking social interaction, he is enjoying being surrounded by nature and wants to stay longer.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

From this quote, we can see that although he wants to stay, he has ‘promises to keep’ and likely needs to return to do something. The use of repetition in this quote shows not only his physical fatigue but also his emotional fatigue. It’s as if he’s reassuring himself and convincing himself that he has to return because of the long journey ahead and obligations he has. The horse also emphasises the narrator’s love for isolation. And although it is not a human eager to leave, we still get the essence of what Frost is trying to say. ‘He gave his harness bells a shake, To ask if there is some mistake’, ‘Queer to stop without a farmhouse near’ Its as if his horse is also telling him to keep moving and is confused by his search for isolation. The loneliness comes in when the narrator mentions that the owner of the woods lives by the village. Essentially what is being described is a place without people because the owner lives in the village. And also a place with a border ‘Between the woods and frozen lake’ meaning the lake is acting as a barrier or a border from isolation in the woods to the village. He is all alone with his horse, no other sounds only the bells on the harness of his horse, and a light breeze with snowfall further proving how truly isolated he is.

The final poem, Acquainted with the Night arguable one of Frost’ most famous poems, is likely one of the clearest poems that can be associated with loneliness and isolation. By using a blank and smooth rhythm in each of the stanzas, slightly dark and gloomy imagery, and unique word choice, Frost conveys the feeling and theme of loneliness and isolation.

It follows the narrator/speaker as he walks the empty streets at Night, trying to outrun his anxiety and fear. Like many the poems previously mentioned the speaker walks in despair and has detached himself from society even avoiding human contact when he comes across someone someone ‘I have passed by the watchman on his beat and dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain’. Although this quote indicates that the narrator or person that we are following isolates himself, he does still want human contact ‘But not to call me back or say good-bye;’. He feels a form of rejection because he is sad the call is not directed at him. This shows although he avoids human contact, he still wants to feel needed or wanted by someone. Frost’ use of descriptive language also helps prove this point further. He is describing the moon as ‘luminary’ but at ‘an unearthly height’. Its as if there is hope in sight but still too far to reach. Whatever human contact he can obtain he wants to be reached out to rather than have to reach out himself. The light brings him hope and reaches out to him; however, he cannot physically get himself out of the isolation. Frost also repeats certain words like ‘I have’ which can be seen as a form of self-reassurance as if he’s talking to himself and reflecting on what he can do.

Overall, Frost is able to create an atmosphere that represents isolation and loneliness across all three of the poems, although set in completely different settings. He is able to give the feeling of loneliness even when there are people around and lack of communication being the centre point of that theme.

The Secret Life Of Robert Frost

Posted on December 16, 2024 | by Laureen

Throughout the vast collection of American literature, very few individuals have attained a position as distinguished as Robert Frost within literature. Even after his death in 1963, he is still remembered today for his great literary works. Although Robert Frost is heavily associated with New England, especially within his poetry, he is actually born in San Francisco. Robert Frost is born on March 26, 1874 to William Frost Jr., and Isabelle Moodie. While Robert Frost is 11 years old his father passes away from tuberculosis, leading the family to move to Lawrence, Massachusetts. The family moves in with Frosts grandparents and Frosts attends Lawrence High School. It is during the years spent here that Frosts meets his wife Elinor White. Frosts attends Dartmouth College in 1892, but drops out soon after before the end of the first term. (Burnshaw, Hass 55)

Upon returning to Lawrence Frosts works a variety of different jobs such as a schoolteacher, reporter and even a mill hand. Frosts tries his hand at college again enrolling into Harvard University but soon drops out again due to illness. Around this time Frosts and his wife welcome the first of their 5 children, two of whom will pass away a couple years later. These times prove to be a struggle for the family and they move once again to a farm that Frosts purchases with the help of his grandfather. Although Frost has a deep love of nature his love of writing prevails. He often wastes away late into the night writing and neglects the responsibilities of the farm. Unable to maintain the upkeep of the farm, Frosts returns to a prosperous career in teaching and continues his writings. (Burnshaw, Hass 55)

Throughout Frosts lifetime he receives multiple honorary degrees and 4 Pulitzer Prizes. He receives a prize for his works New Hampshire, Collected Poems, Further Range and A Witness Tree. (Hass 55) It seems that the truly great poets that stay relevant in our day and age are the ones that are able to capture not only the beauty of their subject matter, but also being able to shape the poems to convey their meaning. A majority of Frosts work is beautifully simple on the surface and usually involves details portraying the splendor of New England landscape. Many of Frosts poems are also rich with hidden meanings hidden under his word choices, imagery and even the structure of the poems. Robert Frost poetry incorporates nature, universal themes and symbolism while also drawing heavy influence from his own life.

Robert Frost’s poems are mainly centered around landscape and wildlife that many critics consider him a nature poet. (Lynen) In many of his poems, the importance of nature is apparent in all of his collections of works. This could be a result of the time he spent in New England, since the majority of descriptive rural scenes are inspired by specific locations. Frost, however does not stay limited and focuses on much more dramatic struggles. This is apparent in poems such as “After Apple-Picking” that touches on the conflict of the changing of seasons. (Owens 35-37) Another example one could look at is “Once by the Pacific” that explores the destructive side of nature. (Borroff 131) Frost also presents contrasts between nature and man, where nature is portrayed as something that is foreign. (Borroff 131) Nature is a central concept that lays the foundation of the many poems of Robert Frost, and is not just simply a background.

Although nature forms the backbone of Frosts poems, universal themes are also heavily used within his poetry. Even though the work of Robert Frost is simplistic, he is able to construct hidden meanings in his work. In “After Apple-Picking” the casualty of the piece will often lead the reader to miss the deeper meaning hidden within the words. (Owens 35-37)Upon further analysis the theme is revealed as being centered on the concept of labor and reward. (Owens 35-37) Being rewarded for hard work is a universal concept that everyone can relate to at some point in their lives. When the speaker states the lines the “essence of winter sleep is on the night, the scent of apples”, he is aware of the success reaped from his efforts and continues on looking forward. (Warren 1-10) Another universal theme that is apparent in some poems is isolation, the sense of being alone. Poems such as “Mending Wall” and “Tufts of Flowers” explore the capacity of human’s abilities to connect with one another. (Coulthard 40-42, Warren 1-10)

Since Frosts poems are simple, they are riddled with hidden meanings. Frosts achieves this by using symbolism to associate deep meaning and feelings within his poetry. Various aspects of nature are often used to symbolize different things. In a rather gloomy poem titled “Bereft”, the bleak landscape described within the poem portrays the extent of the speaker’s loneliness. (Lynen) Another example can be seen in the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. (Warren 1-10) The poem seems mainly descriptive until the last line stating the loss of beauty. The loss of beauty within the poem is linked to the loss of innocence within the Eden. (Warren 1-10) Analogies, metaphors and symbolism are all apparent in frosts poems to help relay deeper meanings.

The personal life of Robert Frost plays distinctive role in his poetry. Frosts goes through many changes in his life and his poetry is a reflection of himself. His love of nature is the main reason he acquires a farm and is shown in many of his poems. This is also linked as the reason for his descriptive images to portray certain feelings within his poetry. As Frost is going on through life he faces many changes and choices. Poems such as “The Road Not Taken”, describing the agonizing choice of having to choose between two roads, illustrates the struggles that he had to endure. (Wilcox) As with any writer, Frosts uses his poetry as a creative outlet to relieve the stress that he deals with in everyday life. But for all of his struggles he achieves success, a universal concept that everyone can relate to as expressed in his own poems. Robert Frost remains still remains today as one of the most prestigious poets of American Literature.

Anne Bradstreet, Thomas Paine, Washington Irving And Robert Frost As The Writers Apart Literary Canon

Posted on December 16, 2024 | by Laureen

American Literature outlines ideas, beliefs, societies and concepts of American life and history. American Literature is a way to document and reflect on American events and history. Many authors works’ are influenced by the environment and society around them. Their works often have similar themes and ideas because they reflect what is happening during the literary movement they are living in. These collections of work by authors from each literary movement can be considered as part of the literary canon. Although there are many well known American authors apart of the literary canon, four important ones are Anne Bradstreet, Thomas Paine, Washington Irving, and Robert Frost.

Literary canons are essential for shaping worldview. According to Jordan Bates, “The term “literary canon” refers to a body of books, narratives and other texts considered to be the most important and influential of a particular time period or place.” Literature that is included in the literary canon can often be viewed as classics because of the importance they reflected on society. Anne Bradstreet, Thomas Paine, Washington Irving, and Robert Frost can all be considered to be included in the literary canon because their works have been considered influential and a classic of their time.

The Colonial period was the second major movement in American Literature, which began in 1620 and lasted until 1750. During the Colonial period, many immigrants were coming to America to settle. The lecture notes state, when the immigrants settled, they were formed new colonies and new governments to break away from the British rule. During this time, women also faced repression from their male peers, which can be seen in Anne Bradstreet’s poetry. This era of literature and authors was influenced by Puritan religious influences, such as Anne Bradstreet.

Anne Bradstreet is a major influencer of the Colonial period. Originally born in England, Bradstreet moved to Massachussettes in 1630 with a group of Puritans to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Bradstreet had education opportunities, which was not common for women during this time. Her only published poetry book, “The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America”, was published by her brother-in-law, John Woodbridge. Pattie Cowell claims that common themes in Bradstreet’s poems were “family, love, nature, sorrow, faith, and resignation” (Cowell 237). Pattie Cowell also states that Bradstreet’s poetry “consistently reflects the Puritan spiritual and communal vision” (Cowell 237). She became a model women poet for future generations.

In both, “The Prologue” and “The Author to Her Book”, Bradstreet is criticizing her male critics while defending her poetry. As stated by another author, in “The Prologue”, Bradstreet builds “assertiveness about women’s abilities in public pieces” while growing into “an uninhibited use of images drawn from women’s experiences” (Cowell 237). The same author also states that many of her works uncovered tensions between “conventional literary subject matter and her own experiences” (Cowell 237). While “The Prologue” and “The Author to Her Book” reveals how men were more superior than women, her poem “Upon the Burning of Our House” reveals her Puritan roots and religious roots. Bradstreet uses her poetry to react to her own experiences in her life and in society.

1750 to 1815 marks the Revolutionary and Nationalism Period. According to the lecture notes, this period presents many political writings, which focused on explaining and justifying the Revolution. These writings helped define what a true American is. Writers such as Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin focused on nationalism, patriotism, and American identity in their writings, claimed by the lecture notes. This new sense of Americanism arose from after the War of 1812, which lead to the removal of British troops and political freedom. One author claims Thomas Paine is considered to be the “pro-American writer and author of some of the most persuasive texts of the American Revolution” (Harris 441).

Thomas Paine was born as a Quaker in 1737 in England. Paine’s Quaker views were reflected in all of his work. Sharon Harris claims that because of his Quaker background, he believed the universe was controlled by “harmony, order, and natural laws” rather than hierarchies, as stated by one author (Harris 441). The lecture notes claim that because Paine was involved in many political affairs, it led to him being exiled from France and England. His four major works are “Common Sense”, “American Crisis”, “The Rights of Man”, and “The Age of Reason”. According to the lecture notes, all of these pieces of literature helped change the nations thinking about justice, equality, and of the natural rights of the individual.

“American Crisis” was written in 1776, during the Revolutionary War. Paine wrote “American Crisis” as motivation for George Washington’s troops after they were losing hope during the Revolution. Washington ordered parts of “American Crisis” to be read to his troops before the start of another battle. In “American Crisis”, Paine calls for all to help in the war effort. Thomas Paine is one of the most influential and persuasive writers during the Revolution because he used plain language and common sense arguments that the less literate people could understand. Paine has been so influential in times of American crisis, that George W. Bush quoted the opening lines of “American Crisis” in his speech addressing the attack on September 11, 2001.

Romanticism is the philosophical attitude which is developed from reaction to previous decades. According to the lecture notes, the Romanticism period took place from 1800 to 1855 and became an era where writers were able to incorporate individualism, nature, imagination, creativity and emotions into their work. During this era, America was in the midst of westward expansion. New York and Boston became cities that inspired intellectual thought and culture. This was a period for writers, like Washington Irving, to explore philosophical debates.

Most of Washington Irving’s writings were shaped from the reaction of an American response to an Old World culture, claims William Hedges (Hedges 1122). This was the time of transitional America, a nation culturally unsure and divided over how democratic it should be, which Irving confronts in his writings. Irving is known for inventing the short story, but didn’t succeed in his writing career until his 30s. Perhaps, the most important short story Washington Irving wrote was “Rip van Winkle”, which is viewed as the birth of America’s own sense of itself as a culture, but as an allegory for the birth of true American Literature.

The story of “Rip van Winkle” sets a lot of literary precedents. This means that the work and ideas of Irving would reflect on future America. The character Rip van Winkle is in a state of confusion after he wakes from a daze of 20 years because he drank a drink from some men in the Catskill Mountains. Even though it seemed to be 20 years to Rip, but it was only an overnight occurrence to the colonists. This event is reflecting of those during the Revolution. The townspeople are representing society in America before the Revolution by being lazy and self-satisfied, which represents the repression America experienced under British rule. This scene can be understood and viewed as the “American Dream” because like Rip being unsure about what happened, newly reformed America began in uncertainty and confusion.

The Modern Period marked the first half of the twentieth century, starting in 1900 and lasting until 1950. Stated in the lecture notes, during this time, wars, economic prosperity, the Great Depression, commercialism, and increased population all occurred. This was a time where authors were able to explore alienation, change, and confronted the population’s fear, also states the lecture notes. Specifically during this period, African-American Literature flourished during the Harlem Renaissance. Extensive use of symbolism and irony are seen in this era of work. Because of the use of symbolism and irony, inferences must be used to understand characters and themes. It is possible that modern writers subconsciously included historical fate in their works, but the contemporary ideas used allow for inferences to be made by readers. Robert Frost is just one among many authors who are considered to be part of the Modern Period.

After moving back to America from England in 1915, Robert Frost became a four time Pulitzer Prize for Poetry winner. Frost was very popular in the academic world, especially with teachers. He became so popular that he was invited to read a poem at John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ceremony. Robert Frost faced many tragedies in his life, mostly being the death of loved ones. James Guimond writes, Frost used his “public and poetic stoicism” to mask his “acute depression, self-doubt, and guilt” (Guimond 608). He also states that Frost is “considered to be the link between an older era and modern culture” (Guimond 608).

Frost’s work is considered modern, so his work does not particularly fit in with a historical framework because his ideas are contemporary. One author claims, His work steps outside of the status quo by not following a specific set of guidelines of how poems and novels should look or sound a certain way (Molesworth 506). As stated in “The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature,” Frost used traditional rhymes and metrical forms, he wrote many poems that can be viewed as dramatic narratives, but are viewed as prose fiction (Guimond 609). “The Road Not Taken”, is a good example of how inferences can be made to determine the fate of a poem. In the poem the narrator is faced with a crossroad and is unsure of which road to take. The narrator in “The Road Not Taken” decides to take the “one less traveled by” and says that is “has made all of the difference” (Frost 610). Here, readers can make inferences on the decision made by the narrator. According to the article, “Fourteen Reasons to Study American Literature,” “Literature is full of human reactions.” A readers’ reaction is how we respond and analyze to gain knowledge of the human psyche, claims “Fourteen Reasons to Study American Literature.” Even though there may be an underlying theme or idea behind the poem, it is not directly stated by Frost.

All of these authors and their published works have influenced the country and the literary canon tremendously. The authors and their literature used in this essay have been considered literary classics from the literary movement from which they belong. They can also be considered part of the literary canon because of the influence they had in their literary period. Each author in their literary movement reflected the ideas, beliefs and values of that time period.

Works Cited

Bates, Jordan. “Literary Canons Exclude Works No Matter How Selective Canon Makers Are.” The Daily Nebraskan, 16 May 2018, www.dailynebraskan.com/culture.
Cowell, Pattie. “Anne Bradstreet.” The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature , edited by Paul Lauter, Cengage Learning , 2014, pp. 236–237.
“Fourteen Reasons to Study American Literature.” Why Study Brit, 26 November 2019. www3.dbu.edu/mitchell/newpage13.htm.
Guimond, James. “Robert Frost.” The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature , edited by Paul Lauter, Cengage Learning , 2014, pp. 608–609.
Harris, Sharon M. “Thomas Paine.” The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature , edited by Paul Lauter, Cengage Learning , 2014, pp. 441–443.
Hedges, William. “Washington Irving.” The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature , edited by Paul Lauter, Cengage Learning , 2014, pp. 1122–1123.
Matus, Douglas. “British Literature Comparison of Romanticism and Modernism.” Synonym, 21 Nov. 2017, classroom.synonym.com/.
Molesworth, Charles. “Toward the Modern Age.” The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature , edited by Paul Lauter, Cengage Learning , 2014, pp. 506.
Paine, Thomas. “The American Crisis.” 26 November 2019, americainclass.org/.
Robert, Frost. “The Road Not Taken.” The Concise Heath Anthology of American Literature , Cengage Learning , 2014, p. 610.

The Life And Works Of Robert Frost

Posted on December 16, 2024 | by Laureen

Introduction

“But I have promises to keep/ and miles to go before I sleep.” This quote is said by Robert Frost, a famous American poet. He was saying this at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. He wrote many poems throughout his lifetime. His first ever poem was published in a newspaper, and that spread the word out to people about his works. He also wouldn’t have gotten famous if Amy Lowell didn’t bring his poems to the U.S. Many people got inspired by his works including many other poets.

Childhood

Robert Lee Frost was born on March 26, 1874, in San Francisco, California. His father was William Prescott Frost Jr. and is mother was Isabelle Moodie Frost. His only sibling was his sister, Jeanie Frost. They all moved to Lawerance to live with his grandparents, in 1884, when Frost was 11, since his father died of tuberculosis. He soon graduated high school in 1892 and enrolled at both Harvard and Dartmouth for college. During college, he joined a fraternity group while in Dartmouth, the Theta Delta Chi. But while in college, he never got a single formal degree. The days after college were mostly spent with Frost delivering newspapers, working in a factory, learning how to make shoes, or learning how to farm.

Life After Marriage

In 1894, Robert Frost asked Elinor Miriam White to marry him. She refused due to the fact that she thought education was more important at the time. One year later, he asked again, this time she accepted his hand in marriage. Over the course of their life together, they had six children, two boys and four girls, Elliot, Carol, Lesley, Irma, Marjorie, and Elinor. Sadly, Elinor and Elliot died early, leaving Frost and his wife with one son and three daughters. They also traveled to many places like, England in 1912 and Glasgow, Scotland, in 1912. They lived in Massachusetts and Vermont. They soon came back to the United States, in 1915, due to the start of World War One, and purchased a farm in Franconia. Through 1916-1938, he became an English professor at Amherst College. Near the end of his life, in 1961, Frost read a poem at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. He was going to read “Dedication” but decided to read “The Gift Outright.” He became famous only due to the fact that another poet, Amy Lowell, brought one of his poems to the United States from England. Throughout his entire life, Frost won four Pulitzer Prizes.

Death

Robert Frost died in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 29, 1963. He died at the age of 88, due to a heart attack. He is currently buried in the Old Bennington Cemetery, in Vermont

Works

Robert Frost wrote many poems in his lifetime, many of them well known. His very first poem, “My Butterfly” was first published in the newspaper, in 1914. His most well known works are “The Road Not Taken,” “Fire and Ice,” “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” “Home Burial,” and “Mending Wall.” Some of his books were “North of Boston” and “The Death of the Hired Man.” Some of his lesser known poems are “A Hundred Collars,” “New Hampshire,” “Desert Places,” “Further Range,” and “Steeple Bush.” One of his poems “Dedication” was supposed to be read during John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, but instead he read “The Gift Outright.” Two of his poems were written about a woman he loved, those poems were, “The Silken Tent” and “The Witness Tree.” Those are some of Robert Frost’s works.

The Road Not Taken And Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening Relation To The Choices And Actions In World War I

Posted on December 16, 2024 | by Laureen

INTRODUCTION

Robert Frost is most well known for his poems ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.’ Both of these poems have messages that can be compared to actions taken in the first World War. In ‘The Road Not Taken’ The idea of making decisions and how they could affect the rest of your life and the lives of others is seen throughout the entire poem. In war, choices can determine who the victor and who the loser are. Choices make up what nations are and what they stand for. Frost expresses the importance of choices all throughout his poems.

Robert Frost was born on March 26th, 1874 to a journalist named William Prescott Frost Jr. Frost’s father died in 1885 which caused their family to move to Lawrence Massachusetts where he attended high school and graduated top of his class along with his future wife Eleanor White. Frost started to take an interest in poetry when he attended Dartmouth college. His first publication was in 1894 to ‘The Independent. ‘ They published his poem titled ‘My butterfly.’ However, Frost later left Dartmouth and in 1885 he married Eleanor. Together they had six children of which two died. Life then became harder and Frost and Eleanor tried to support their family by teaching and farming. This did not go very well and in 1912 Frost took his family to England to pursue his writing career. When he was there, a critic named Ezra Pound enjoyed Frost’s work very much and gave him a good review. However, this victory was short-lived due to the start of World War I which prompted Frost to leave England back to New Hampshire and start his teaching career at Amherst college. Frost went on to publish many works and gained many accolades. He received over 40 honorary degrees, the congressional gold medal, four Pulitzer prizes, and he also spoke at JFK’s inauguration. Frost later died in Boston at age 89 on January 29th, 1963. One of his final quotes was, ‘I had a lover’s quarrel with the world.'(Frost 5) Frost loved the world, but he didn’t always agree with everything it did.

AUTHOR’S WORDS

Frost lived through World War I and World War II, however the time period that he wrote the poems listed above are closer in time to World War I. Much of what Frost said in these two poems can be related back to WWI.

‘The Road Not Taken’ relates heavily with the war. For example, in the first two lines a comparison can be drawn. ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both'(Frost 3) This line expresses the feeling that in war there are often leaders and soldiers that come at a crossroads for what decision to be made. It also illustrates the fact that not every decision can be followed through. This continues to the next point about coming to a consensus. ‘And be one traveler, long I stood'(Frost 3) Often many leaders argue about what course of action is the wisest. In this line coming to a consensus about which path to take correlates with the matter of agreement in times of war. But what about after the decision has been made? The fact is many soldiers and leaders who have made decisions and not succeeded have regretted it for years to come. This point is illustrated when frost says ‘I shall be telling this with a sigh.'(Frost 3) In the first World War, many soldiers did actions that they were not proud of, and to their dismay it gave them much regret and sadness for years hence. One of the most prevalent points in this poem is that some decisions may pay off well in the end. ‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.'(Frost 3) This was true in World War I as well because the most risky decisions ended up paying off the most in the end.

‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ also had a couple lines that could be compared to World War I. One line in particular being The darkest evening of the year.'(Frost 2) This line expresses the point that war is a dark and dangerous time for anyone. In World War I. One example of this is that over eight and a half million soldiers died in this war. This is not even accounting for the countless others who died. A second line in this poem that illustrates the tough times that war brings is ‘And miles to go before I sleep.’ (Frost 2) If there was one word to describe war besides violent it would be long. Many wars are fought with much bloodshed but one of the most demoralizing things to a soldier is the sheer length of a war. As this line demonstrates a soldier has a long way to go before he has a chance to sleep.

Many of Robert Frost’s words in these poems can be interpreted to be illustrations of The decisions of war and their ramifications and also the demoralizing length the war can be. Some of his personal sayings can also be interpreted to be related to World War I. For instance, Frost says ‘In these three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life. It goes on.’ (Frost 1) Frost knows as well as any common soldier that no matter how hard a battle is or how challenging times may be, life will always go on. Frost, in this line, may not have just been talking about physical life but also the spiritual, expressing the feeling that if one dies, their life will continue in heaven. This point is later illustrated in another quote that Frost is famous for. “Even the bravest that are slain shall not dissemble their surprise on waking to find valor reign even as on earth, in paradise.”(Frost 1) He believes that even if one is killed, this will not take away the reward which will be granted to them because of their bravery and honor. The reward he is referring to is an afterlife in heaven. Frost believed much of what made a person great was their bravery and their boldness. This can also be applied to the first World War. Frost says ‘Freedom lies in being bold’ (Frost 1) without the ability to be bold in the face of trial and tribulation one might find themselves without success. This pushes the point that Frost believes that in being bold one will find themselves obtaining their freedom from tyranny and corruption. In World War I many of those not bold enough to protect themselves took over. The last point is the frost believed that, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.” (Frost 1) What he means is that countries who know each other’s boundaries as well as protect their own are able to ally themselves with others and protect them and often become good friends.

LITERARY CRITICISM

Frost however, was not without his fair share of criticism. Many said that he dwelled too much on the past and not as much on the present and future of American society. These criticisms were seen in his lack of references in his poems and works of modern topics such as industrialization or common modern objects like cars or radios. Frost was not one to be overly fond, as stated before, with the present or future. He enjoyed the past, he found it to be nostalgic. This was also something that he was criticized for as well as his overly conservative views. some of these critics may have been missing the point though. Many Frost’s poems were able to be flexible to fit the times. He could have been writing about the past, the present, and the future all at the same time. He does this in poems like ‘The Road Not Taken’ where life-changing decisions can be interpreted as wartime decisions.

One of the largest criticisms though, was the fact that many of Frost’s critics believed that he was not a romantic poet. A romantic poet can be defined as ‘a poet who embraces the natural world in poetic form.'(Liebman 7) people such as Lawrence Thompson believed that frost either tried to modify romanticism or neglected altogether. Frost’s critics would call romanticism ‘metaphysically naive, morally irresponsible, and epistemologically repressive.'(Liebman 7) His critics don’t consider Frost a romantic and don’t even have a high opinion of romanticism either. However, even though they don’t admit that he is a romantic poet, they are at the very least willing to admit that he grew up in the romantic tradition. The reason for the amount of criticism that he gets on romanticism is that his letters and essays often contradict his anti-romantic statements. One critic named Britney said that ‘to analyze The interpersonal, play epiphanies of Robert Frost, one must look at both the subjective and objective aspects.'(Bidney 4) He is saying that to judge these works of Robert Frost one must look at it subjectively and objectively, they must look at it through fact and through opinion.

Though Frost dealt with Criticism, he kept pushing forward in his ability to write and inspire others. Frost may have dwelt in the past, and had conservative values, as well as being nostalgic. But this did not affect the quality in which he wrote. His works inspired many to do what they thought was impossible. For some this would mean joining the war effort. This would mean sacrificing much for that which they loved most. Frost may not have been a romantic poet, however this does not make him any less of a classic poet. A poet that many still read to this day.

CONCLUSION

Robert Frost was undoubtedly one of the most famous poets of his time. He was also one of the most successful and award-winning. Through trials such as the death of his father, leaving England because of World War I, and the death of two of his children, Frost emerged victorious over all of his shortcomings. One of his achievements that wasn’t even in his own lifetime was that after he died, and Amherst college made the Robert Frost library, JFK gave a keynote saying’where power corrupts poetry cleanses.'(JFK 5) Frost was a timeless voice that many Americans rallied around and still do to this day. The main reason this is, is that he was very universal in the way he wrote so that he could reach everyone in some way. One way in particular that these poems had touched people are the commonalities between World War I and his poems: ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.’ In conclusion, a large portion of what is written in ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ is reflective of World War I and the many decisions and hardships of it. These many decisions and hardships in the war are also reflective of the decisions and hardships in Frost’s own life. But Frost in the end, as said before, emerged victorious, and has a legacy that will stretch for generations to come.