The Road Not Taken and Other Poems by Robert Frost
Uploaded by biblegirl22 on Aug 02, 2005
“The Road Not Taken” and Other Poems by Robert Frost
“Robert Frost, born March 26, 1874” (Robert Frost), is considered by most to be “one of America is leading 20th century poets” (Frost 15). Some of his most famous work includes The Road Not Taken, Design, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. “Frost won an unprecedented number of literary, academic, and public honors” (http://encarta.msn.com) because he allows all readers from all different experiences to relate to his poems. “Frost's poetry is based mainly upon the life and scenery of rural New England,” (Frost 15) and the language of his verse reflects the compact idiom of that region. Although he concentrates on ordinary subject matter, Frost's emotional range is wide and deep and his poems often shift dramatically from a tone of humorous banter to the passionate expression of tragic experience. He uses vivid imagery, calm words, and rhythm that sets a tranquil mood for every reader. He used every aspect of the poem to play on the senses, so that all readers could relate. Through his use of creating vivid images, different moods, and all aspects of each poem to relate to every reader in a different way every time, that is why I have chose to analyse Robert Frost.
Regardless of the original message that Robert Frost had intended to convey, his poem, The Road Not Taken, has left its readers with many different interpretations. The poem is most commonly interpreted as an advertisement of individuality, but that definition is dependent on whether or not there is a road not taken in Frost's poem. Many scholars believe that Frost was too ambivalent in his descriptions of the difference between the two roads, and have therefore challenged the existence of a less traveled road. The subtraction of a less traveled road from The Road Not Taken produces an equation with an infinite number of interpretations for answers. The interpretations, however, seem to be as diverse and original as the explicators themselves. Patrick Bassett, contributor to the literary journal The Explicator, believes in the “spiritual nature of the poem” (Bassett 42) and contends, “it represents spiritual choices of the soul” (Bassett). Mike Bellah, writer for the online magazine, The Best Years, believes that “The Road Not Taken is Robert Frosts “warning against procrastination and the delayment of dreams”(Bellah). Central State University Professor, R.F Fleissner argues that “there...