Firstly, Robert Frost continually uses nature as a source of value and meaning within his life. This is reinforced through the quote “and there is a barrel that I didn’t fill beside it, there may be two or three apples that I didn’t pick upon some bough” This illustration of symbolism emphasizes and represents that within Frost’s life, there were opportunities missed and goals not achieved. Frost expresses this in a tone of regret at his “incomplete” past. This is further emphasized in the critique “empty barrels” whereby the critic accentuates that Frost’s empty barrels are a representation of his regret at having not fulfilled all of his potential. This quote is reinforced by the use of first person narration because it creates a reflective and genuine tone. Frost also alludes to winter throughout the poem. Frost makes reference to a “woodchuck” which is a rodent that hibernates in winter. Thus, due to the emphasis placed on the meaning of life through nature, “After Apple Picking” is certainly a Romantic poem.
Secondly, Frost alludes to biblical references to incorporate the meaning of life to his poetry. The title “After Apple Picking” alludes to original sin in the Garden of Eden – the apple being symbolic of bringing sin and human mortality to humanity. The apple is also a representation of opportunities available and opportunities lost. “Upon my way to sleep before it fell” is a metaphor for the fall of Adam and Eve. It reflects the fall of humanity. It leaves the speaker to question whether he has added to the sin. These biblical allusions further emphasises the credibility as a Romantic piece of poetry.
Also, romantic poetry is all about strong senses, emotions and feelings. Robert Frost covers this by incorporating sensory language in After Apple Picking. Robert Frost alludes to sight (russet), sound (rumbling) and smell (scent of apples) as well as letting the audience in on how he feels “The scent of apples I am drowsing off” and “I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend”
Robert Frost ends the poem with a rather ambiguous ending. “Long sleep, as I described its coming on, Or just some human sleep” Sleep meaning either rest of death. There is a sense of futility as he either resigns himself to an incomplete life with failures or does he make sense of his journey and reflects on the things he has managed to achieve.
Thus, it is evident that Robert Frost conforms to the Romantic tradition in the poem After Apple Picking. The common characteristics of Romanticism such as the emphasis on nature as a source of value and meaning and the use of biblical references reinforces the idea fact that Robert Frost followed Romantic conventions.
By Kevin Chhoeu
