Depression And Personification In Robert Frost's 'Acquainted With The Night'

“A Road Not Taken”, by Robert Frost. Frost was exposed to literature from an early age both of his parents were teachers. He started writing at the age of fifteen; he admired writers such as William Shakespeare, Robert Buras, and William Wordsworth. (Spencer and Chris) I believe that Frost wrote “Acquaint With The Night” because it was during a time of depression just after the stock market crash in 1929, unemployment peeked and a lot of people lost everything, it was a time of darkness, I believe that this is why he wrote it and has a lot to do with the unhappy tone of the poem. “The Road Not Taken” Robert Frost himself states “One

The night itself is a symbol and the setting of the poem; it can be described as dark, cold, and secluded; this contributes to the speaker’s character because he is completely accustomed with the night. His personality feds from his depression which is reflects his acquaintance of the night. The speaker can’t find any one that shares his qualities which makes him isolated from society. His emergence into the public eye only being during the night is ironic because he only goes out at a time when there are fewer people to get accustomed to; so he has even less of an chance to find a way to pulled from his depression. His familiarity with the night creates a never ending cycle that fuels his depression and

Another example of symbolism in "Acquainted with the Night" is the moon. As mentioned before, the moon acts as a wake-up call for the narrator of the poem. The speaker realizes that time is nonexistent in his world because the narrator's isolation is never-ending and is never going to break out of the harmful cycle that it is currently going through. They comprehend the fact that time does not really have meaning for them like it does to the rest of

The poem as a whole appear to be a metaphor for, or symbolic of the depression and loneliness felt by the speaker . In the very first line “I have been one acquainted with the night” (I. 1), tells that the speaker knows of the ‘night’ (a metaphor for loneliness and depression). The speaker also personifies the night by being ‘acquainted’ with it. In the second line, the usage of the word ‘rain’ is a metaphor for life’s problems, which the speaker seems to be immersed with . In the third and fourth lines, the speaker uses hyperbole when he says “I have outwalked the furthest city light/ I have looked down the saddest city lane” (I. 3; II. 1), a feat not humanly possible, because the farthest city light would suggest the end of the city, and the word ‘saddest’ is a relative emotion. The words “city light” is also symbolic of a community and friends, which the speaker is trying to

Right at the beginning of the poem, Frost’s unnamed speaker declares that they “have been one acquainted with the night” (Frost 1). The word acquainted implies a relationship that, while not unfriendly, lacks the close emotional connection often seen in friendship while the night itself, despite often being characterized as a symbol of death and darkness, can also be seen as a time of quiet, meditation, and peace free from the chaos of city life. Therefore, when the speaker says they “have been one acquainted

Our lives, whether we realize it or not, revolve around emotion. When plagued with sadness, we find it hard to function; our daily lives hindered and impossible to live. When we feel jubilant, life is comfortable and satisfying. But whatever the circumstance, emotions will eventually lose their grip and sink into the river of time, forgotten until mentioned again. Depression, however, has a profound effect. Depression doesn't fade like emotion; it clings to the minds of the unfortunate souls possessing it, never surrendering its grip. It cemented itself onto the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, Mark Twain, and Robert Frost. Frost's poem "Acquainted with the night," offers insight into the life of a lonely soul affected by depression. Frost emphasizes the seclusion depression brings, isolating those who have it from the rest of the world.

"Acquainted with the Night" is much more than a poem. It is a mantra, a way of life. This poem can rid the blinding haze from one's eyes. A tiny dose of optimism can go along way--even "beyond the furthest city

Robert Frost uses symbolism, setting, and the speaker himself to tell the story of the man who has been acquainted with the night. The first literary element used in “Acquainted with The Night” is symbolism. Darkness and light are used in the poem, more being the lack of light. The poem could be seen as a metaphor of depression and loneliness. Even though it is night time, the moon still reaches the streets, a symbol of hope.

The speaker refers to the night as his acquaintance. This implies that the speaker has a lot of experience with the night, but has not become friends with it. Thus, because even the night, which has been alongside the speaker in comparison to anything or anyone else, is not a companion to the speaker, the idea of loneliness is enhanced. In addition, “rain” (2) is used to symbolize the speaker’s feelings of gloom and grief, because there is continuous pouring of the rain, which is unlikely to stop. In line 3, “city light” is used to convey the emotional distance between the speaker and society. Although the speaker has walked extensively, he has not yet interacted with anyone – thus distancing himself even further from society. Moreover, the moon, in lines 11 to 12, is used as a metaphor of the speaker’s feelings. The speaker feels extremely distant from society that he feels “unearthly.” The idea of isolation and loneliness in this poem is used as the theme of the poem; and the use of the setting and metaphors underscores the idea that the speaker feels abandoned from society.

The poem is centered around the loneliness of the narrator and about how he is unable to convey his thoughts and feelings. The poem begins and finishes with the most important line: “I have been one acquainted with the night” (Frost). Darkness, evil, and loneliness are all connotations of night, so when the narrator states he has been acquainted with the night, he means that all those connotations are extremely familiar to him.

Peta-Gaye WilliamsEnglish 282 Section 1March 21, 2018In the poem “Acquainted with the Night” the poet, Robert Frost, took the reader on his journey through the night. It is being theorized that Frost’s use of several literary devices, was done to increase the intensity, focus and interest of the reader. While reading this poem, the use of such literary devices makes it easier for the reader to imagine being in the situation that Frost was in. The use of various literary devices enabled the reader to establish a greater connection between the reader and the speaker of the poem (which was the poet himself). Frost used repetition as s literary device to draw the reader’s attention to a focal point of the poem thathe believed was important.

Many fear the night and what mysteries lurk inside it but poet Robert Frost views night in a very different way. In his poem "Acquainted with the Night", Frost uses repetition, tone, and symbolism to tell about the dark sad times he has experienced in his life. This poem tells a story about a man who walks around a lonely city during the nighttime. The repetition of words and phrases clearly shows Frost's view on night.

Robert Frost is an iconic poet in American literature today, and is seen as one of the most well known, popular, or respected twentieth century American poets. In his lifetime, Frost received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry, and the Congressional Gold Medal. However, Robert Frost’s life was not always full of fame and wealth; he had a very difficult life from the very beginning. At age 11, his father died of tuberculosis; fifteen years later, his mother died of cancer. Frost committed his younger sister to a mental hospital, and many years later, committed his own daughter to a mental hospital as well. Both Robert and his wife Elinor suffered from depression throughout their lives, but considering the premature deaths of three of their children and the suicide of another, both maintained sanity very well. (1)

“Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost dramatizes the conflict that the speaker experiences with the outside world, which has rejected him, or perhaps which he has rejected. The poem is composed of fourteen lines and seven sentences, all of which begin with “I have.” Frost’s first and last line, “I have been one acquainted with the night,” emphasizes what it means for the speaker to be “acquainted with the night” (line 1; 14). The speaker describes his walk in the night as journey, in which he has “walked out of rain—and back in rain” and “outwalked the furthest city light” (line 2-3). Through the depiction of the changing weather conditions, Frost signifies the passage of time, perhaps indicating that the narrator has been on his journey for a lengthy period of time and has traveled through many cities. Furthermore, the imagery of the rain at night creates a forlorn atmosphere in the poem.

Robert Frost is perhaps one of America's best poets of his generation. His vivid images of nature capture the minds of readers. His poems appear to be simple, but if you look into them there is a lot of insight. Robert Frost spoke at John F. Kennedy's inauguration. He is the only poet to have had the opportunity to speak at a presidential inauguration. Through his poetry people learn that Robert Frost is a complicated and intellectual man who has a place in many American hearts. (Richards P.10)