3/16/2023 0 Comments Road not taken summary![]() This seems quite plausible as Frost even sent a copy of the anthology to his friend Thomas who took it rather personally. One is that Robert Frost dedicated this poem to Thomas and thus is addressing him over a mutual topic through the medium of the poem. The poet, as the speaker of the poem, makes an address to the reader which is a point of interest in this stanza. The poet says that he is sorry that he could not travel through both roads (meaning that he could not choose both the alternatives). This image of a traveller in a yellow wood is a metaphor for the choice between two alternatives. The poet narrates how he once arrived at a fork in the road where he had to choose between two roads to continue on his journey. The Road Not Taken: Stanza-wise Explanation Stanza 1: Since roads invoke an image of passing and journeying, the symbol represents progression in life. The poet uses ‘roads’ as a symbol for choices. There is a notable example of enjambment serving the purpose of maintaining rhyme scheme in the last stanza in the lines: “ Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by,” This trait was prevalent in older English poems but has since seen a gradual decline. We see the poet favouring the ease of comprehension to rhythmic attribute in the poem. The lines are not strict regarding individual syllables when forming rhythmic feet. However, the lines in the poem do not form a perfect meter. The poem follows a traditional sense in rhythm and uses Iambic feet throughout the poem. Structurally the poem is divided into four stanzas with five lines each. This makes it universal in nature and is a testament to its popularity. The poet achieves this by remaining neutral in the poem regarding his choices and allows the reader to pick out the meaning they want from the poem. One, which is popularly held by laymen is that it is a motivational address, whilst the other regarded mostly by some poetry scholars is that is it completely the opposite of inspirational and delves in the realm of ‘quiet regret’ as a mere cautionary tale. The poem has two interpretations which form a stark contrast with each other. It also appears as a commentary on our own self-deception. While lines like ‘I took the one (road) less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.’ advocate the idea of taking the proverbial leap of faith believing that it will lead to good things when read individually, the same doesn’t fit in the full context of the poem. However, the poem is much more queer and vague than it appears at first glance. It is seen as a salute to individualism due to the popular interpretation. The poem is often seen as an inspirational piece as it propagates the idea of choosing the unconventional and favouring the new and unexplored ways. It is about the decisions we make and the fact that we must live with them. The theme of the poem ‘The Road not Taken’ revolves around choices. The poem is neutral towards the outcome of the choices and concentrates only on the instance when one is on the brink of making a choice. It is more a rumination over the opportunities turned down. The poet wonders how different his life would have been if he’d made a different choice instead. It is not merely a reflection on the choices we make in life, be it good and bad. And while it is true to some extent, the poem has a much deeper meaning. The poem is often interpreted as a symbol of encouragement to follow one’s dreams and take control of one’s own life. The two would go on long walks and Thomas was a great inspiration in the production of the poem. The poem was conceived as a consequence of Frost’s stay in London in his early forties where he became acquainted with the writer Edward Thomas who was to later become a dear friend of the poet. The Road not Taken is undisputedly his most popular work. ![]() The poet Robert Frost gained much fame since the poem’s publication and is now hailed as one of the greatest poets in American literature. It is one the most frequently quoted poems by orators in motivational talks and is seen as the most common end address in valedictorian speeches. ![]() Since its publication in 1916 in the journal ‘Mountain Interval’ the poem has gained widespread popularity. The poem captures the feelings of indecisiveness in the face of decisions and the agony of regrets. It is a portrayal of the state of human mind in the process of making such life altering decisions. Robert Frost’s ‘The Road not Taken’ is a poem about the hard choices we face and the conscious decisions we take in life. Some decisions are simple to make whereas others are inherently difficult and require due deliberation. Some of them are small and trivial like deciding what to have for breakfast, while others such as deciding on a career are huge and potentially life-changing. The Road not Taken by Robert Frost Introduction:
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