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April Robles
Poem by Robert Frost "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
Critical Writing
3 May 2023
Poem by Robert Frost "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
The theme of the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost is the
tension between the desire for solitude and the responsibilities of daily life. The speaker, who is
traveling through the snowy woods, is tempted to remain and enjoy the lovely isolation but
eventually decides to continue on his quest (Faggen, 2001a). Frost creates a complex and thought
provoking poem through the use of imagery, symbolism, repetition, and vagueness in the final
stanza.
The scene of the poem as well as its tone are defined in the first stanza. The author
characterizes the woods as "beautiful, dull, and profound," radiating calm and mystery. The
repeated phrase "and miles to go before I sleep" emphasizes the concept of a long road ahead and
urgency. The speaker continues to describe the glory of the woods in the second stanza, with
pictures of snow and the sound of the wind. He does, however, accept that he has "promises to
keep," implying that he has responsibilities and obligations to fulfill (Faggen, 2001b). The
comparison of the calm of the woods and the harshness of the speaker's life causes tension and
struggle.
The speaker reflects on the horse's behavior in the third stanza implying that the animal is
aware of the tension between want and duty. The speaker claims that there isn't a farmhouse
nearby as the horse shakes its harness bells in an apparent attempt to find out why they have
stopped. This conversation between the speaker and the horse emphasizes the idea of
responsibility and the speaker's obligation to continue on his quest. The final stanza has the most
ambiguity and room for interpretation (Hashmi et al., 2019). The speaker repeats the sentence
"and miles to go before I sleep" but adds the phrase "and miles to go before I sleep." The
recurrence of this statement, as well as the inclusion of the second phrase, implies a more
profound meaning.Some interpret the repeat as expressing the speaker's desire to pass away
quietly in the woods, while others interpret it as reaffirming the speaker's commitment to his
duties. (Frost & Connery, 1969). "And miles to go before I sleep" may be interpreted as a
representation of life's journey and the idea that there is always more to do and accomplish.
The use of imagery and symbolism in the poem helps the overall topic. The forests are
characterized as "lovely, dark, and deep," implying mystery and peace, as well as danger and the
unknown. The snow and wind create a sense of solitude and silence, emphasizing the speaker's
wish to stay in the woods (Poirier et al., 1990). The horse is a sign of responsibility and
obligation since it is the driving force behind the speaker's journey. The speaker's commitments
are reminded by the harness bells, and the shaking of the bells generates a sense of anxiety and
urgency.
The poem is frequently regarded as a contemplation of the themes of loneliness and
obligation. The speaker of the poem is alone in the woods, with just his horse to keep him
company, and he is tempted to remain and watch the snowfall. However, he finally chooses to
continue on his adventure, implying that he feels a feeling of obligation or responsibility to do so
(Kallimani, 2020). The use of language and imagery in the poem is equally noteworthy. Frost's
descriptions of the falling snow, the woods, and the speaker's horse are all vivid and evocative,
contributing to the creation of a tremendous sense of atmosphere and mood.
Overall, the theme of the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is mortality as well as
the struggle between liability and want. The poet uses imagery, symbolism, as well as repetition
to create a complex and thought provoking poem that prompts readers to think on the lives they
lead, and the decisions people make (Sharma, 2022). Different interpretations are possible due to
the poem's ambiguity and open-mindedness, making it a timeless and universal work of
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literature.
Here are four possible books that I could use as sources to discuss the theme of the poem:
1.
“The Cambridge Companion to Robert Frost”
This book provides a complete overview of Frost's life and work, including a chapter on
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." The chapter delves into the poem's subjects, style,
and structure, as well as its place within Frost's work. Each portion of the book focuses on
different factors of Frost's work, such as his early poems, his position in American modernism,
his poetry of nature, and his effect on current poetry. One of the book's most important chapters
is devoted to Robert Frost's renowned poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." The
chapter reaches into the ideas, style, and structure of the poem, as well as its place within Frost's
greater body of work. The chapter also looks at the poem's literary and historical setting, as well
as its influence on American poetry.
2.
“Robert Frost: the work of Knowing: with a new afterword”
This book offers a detailed analysis of Frost's poetry, focusing on the ways in which he explores
the complexities of human experience. He devotes a chapter to "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening," examining its themes of solitude and obligation, and its use of language and imagery.
Poirier focuses on Frost's examination of the complexity of human experience in his poems in
this book. He claims that Frost's work is distinguished by an intense comprehension of human
nature, and that his poems provide unique insights into the human condition.
One chapter is devoted to Frost's classic poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
Poirier dives into the poem's primary themes of loneliness and commitment, as well as its use of
language and imagery. He contends that the poem is a deep study on the human experience of
responsibility and desire, rather than a simple picture of a winter environment.
3.
“The Poetry of Robert Frost: the collected poems”
This collection includes all of Frost's published poems, as well as a selection of previously
unpublished works. Readers might analyze how "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" fits
into the larger picture of the universe by placing it in the context of his whole body of work.
4.
"Robert Frost and the Challenge of Darwin"
This book examines Frost's engagement with the ideas of Charles Darwin, and how this
influenced his poetry. Hass argues that Frost's work is characterized by a tension between the
desire for order and the recognition of the chaotic and unpredictable nature of existence. He
discusses "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" as an example of this tension and explores
how it reflects Frost's Darwinian worldview. The book covers many of Frost's most renowned
poems, including "Mending Wall," "The Road Not Taken," and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening." Faggen examines how Frost's poetry interacts with Darwin's theories about evolution,
adaptation, and survival, as well as how it reflects the cultural and intellectual milieu of the early
twentieth century.
Frost's poetry, according to Faggen, argues against the deterministic, industrial view of
nature that ruled in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Frost's poetry, he claims,
emphasizes the natural world's complexity and unpredictability, as well as the ways in which
humans are influenced by and change their surroundings.
References
Faggen, R. (2001a).
Robert Frost and the challenge of Darwin
. University Of Michigan.
Faggen, R. (2001b).
The Cambridge Companion to Robert Frost
. Cambridge University
Press.
Frost, R., & Connery, E. (1969).
The poetry of Robert Frost : the collected poems
. Henry
Holt, [201.
Hashmi, M. A., Mahmood, M. A., & Mahmood, M. I. (2019). Stylistic Analysis of Robert
Frost’s Poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
International Journal of
English Linguistics
,
9
(3), 373. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v9n3p373
Kallimani, Dr. M. (2020). Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost and
“Because I could not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson: A Comparative Study.
SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH
,
8
(4), 127.
https://doi.org/10.24113/ijellh.v8i4.10529
Poirier, R., Hollander, J., & Stanford University Press. (1990).
Robert Frost : the work of
knowing : with a new afterword
. Stanford University Press.
Sharma, L. R. (2022). Analysis of figurative language in Robert Frost’s poem: Stopping by
Woods on a Snowy Evening.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and
Growth Evaluation
, 253–257. https://doi.org/10.54660/anfo.2021.3.1.12
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