Monday, June 29, 2009 ;
8:56 AM
The Road Not Taken by Robert FrostTwo roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
How are the figurative language used in the poem? Give the specific word(s), explain what type of figurative language it is and why the poet chose to use this figurative language? The type of figurative language used in this poem is Symbolism. A symbol is “ a thing (could be an object, person, situation or action) which stands for something else more abstract.” Symbols are properly set-up when the poem itself indicates an object is the be taken symbolically- symbols nearly always signal their existence by emphasis, repetition, or position. We are to take literally the description of roads and they are described in physical terms. But from the context of the entire poem we gather that the forked road represents life’s many choices and possibilities.
Why I like this poem.This poem shows that once you take certain road, there is no turning back. Although one might change paths later on, the past cannot be changed. It shows that choice and decision making is very important. This is about regret and personal myth-making, rationalizing our decisions. You will never know what the other path was like, so you may regret never knowing (the sigh), although it was still worth it because you made the right choice by knowing that you were able to exercise your personal freedom and independence.
Some information about Robert FrostRobert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. A popular and often-quoted poet, Frost was honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
His Personal Life
Robert Frost's personal life was plagued with grief and loss. His father died of tuberculosis in 1885, when Frost was 11, leaving the family with just $8. Frost's mother died of cancer in 1900. In 1920, Frost had to commit his younger sister, Jeanie, to a mental hospital, where she died nine years later. Mental illness apparently ran in Frost's family, as both he and his mother suffered from depression, and his daughter Irma was committed to a mental hospital in 1947. Frost's wife, Elinor, also experienced bouts of depression.[3]
Elinor and Robert Frost had six children: son Elliot (1896–1904, died of cholera), daughter Lesley Frost Ballantine (1899–1983), son Carol (1902–1940, committed suicide), daughter Irma (1903–1967), daughter Marjorie (1905–1934, died as a result of puerperal fever after childbirth), and daughter Elinor Bettina (died three days after birth in 1907). Only Lesley and Irma outlived their father. Frost's wife, who had heart problems throughout her life, developed breast cancer in 1937, and died of heart failure in 1938.
(I will not be posting about his early years and adult years as there is too much. )
Mission Acomplished
