"Home Burial," by Robert Frost - critical analysis

Authors Avatar

                                                                                                                                Lemons

“Wade in the Mud With Me”

The conversational style poem, “Home Burial,” by Robert Frost depicts a relationship between a man and a woman who are uniquely estranged.  There could be many reasons and factors which might account for the lack of healthy communication skills within their marriage, but there are obvious walls that have been built up between them which limit their ability to comfort each other in this time of need.  Such a feat (being capable of offering emotional support to a spouse in the face of hardship) is often times an unfortunate struggle in marriages and should be addressed, since it is also one of the most essential characteristics in a long lasting and healthy marriage relationship.

This young, New-England couple which Frost has portrayed for us has encountered an extremely unfortunate and anomalous trial within the past few months of their marriage.  Despite the fact that they have only been married for two years or so, these almost newlyweds have already experienced the death of their first baby boy.  Many couples would be expected to cling to each other if found in a situation like this, and each would rely on the strength of his or her partner.  However, from the very beginning of this piece, there is a sense of opposition and division between the two (which is illustrated in their conversation and body language) that does not embody or reflect what constructive communication between a husband and a wife is expected to be.  For example, near the end of the first stanza, Frost writes,

Join now!

        She, in her place, refused him any help

        With the least stiffening of her neck and silence.

        She let him look, sure that he wouldn’t see,

        Blind creature . . .                                                        

The gentleman character in this dialogue expresses a passionate desire to understand the struggles that his wife is facing.  He has heard the silent torture pouring out from her body like the squeal of a small animal trapped and ...

This is a preview of the whole essay