Critique of Robert Frosts'
I have heard some people say Robert Frost's poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" may be about contemplating suicide, perhaps it may simply be about what its title indicates. There is plenty of room to interpret the poem in either way For instance, in the first stanza, " He will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill up with snow" may be taken to mean that no one understands the pressures the subject endures and how these pressures are continually piling up. On the other hand some might say our subject is simply quietly watching the snowfall, just out of sight, on a neighbors property. The second stanza states, "Between the woods and the frozen
On the other hand, the same lines might mean to some that our subject, engrossed in the view of snow falling in the woods by the lake, becomes aware that he must move on as he has appointments to keep. Then, thinking better of it, realizing suicide is not an appropriate solution, "But I have promises to keep". "Darkest evening of the year" may suggest that our authors' plight has become overwhelming, blocking out all other aspects of his life, in effect darkening his existence. This fact is precisely what gives poems their transcendent quality. Certainly there is enough evidence in the poem to support both views, and possibly countless other interpretations. Some might interpret this to indicate the subjects' troubles are being compared to "the woods and the frozen lake", that he may feel trapped between the two. Or perhaps, the spot chosen to view the snowfall was simply a secluded area, between the woods and a lake, possibly on an evening near December 21st - arguably the darkest of the year. Imagining how simply killing ones self may bring on a certain peace, "lovely, dark and deep". Every person who reads a poem can take away something wholly personal. The last stanza of the poem says "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" I believe perhaps the best support for the contemplating suicide theory. "The only other sound's the sweep of easy wind and downy flake" in the third stanza may be our authors' way of comparing the peaceful wind and snow to an escape from worldly troubles. However, the same stanza could easily be interpreted as merely listening to the wind and watching as snowflakes gently fall; something certainly everyone can relate to. Finally stating, "miles to go before I sleep", indicating the authors realization that there is much left to do before inevitable death. lake The darkest evening of the year".
Common topics in this essay:
Snowy Evening,
Literary Essay,
miles sleep,
Robert Frost's,
darkest evening,
woods frozen lake,
lovely dark deep,
dark deep,
contemplating suicide,
woods lake,
lovely dark,
frozen lake,
woods frozen,
|
Acceptance Essays
