A Critical Appreciation of Frost's 'The Oven Bird'
A Critical Appreciation of Frost's 'The Oven Bird' The Oven Bird is a pessimistic sonnet. The octave seems to describe mid-summer and how it is past its best. Whereas the sestet, which is marked by a rhyming couplet, brings a change, as Frost looks toward what will come in the future, and how to live with a life that is past its best. The bird sings 'Loud' and predicts the inevitability of mid-summer turning into fall. Gloomy descriptions are used even though it's the middle of summer and everything should be bright and cheerful, 'he says that leaves are old and that for flowers/ Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten'. The endstop after 'ten', makes the fact that there are not as many flowers in summer as there are in spring, very definite and quite blunt. Even though winter is along way off, lots of nature is already past its best: The early petal-fall is past, When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers On sunny days a moment overcast The speaker constantly focuses on the shadows, although it is only a 'moment', so much destruction seems to happen in it. While it's still mid-summer, the bird is already anticipating fall as he says 'and comes that other fall we name the fall'. Perhaps in this poem Frost is talking about Darwin. The oven bird could be used to represent Darwin. Frost says 'there is a singer everyone has heard'. Around the time Frost was writing,
The shortness of Robert Frost's poem "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost belies its deep, hidden message. Neither its form nor its simple rhyming scheme prepare the reader for the philosophical thoughts it evokes.
"Fire and Ice" Robert Frost Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. The shortness of Robert Frost's poem "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost belies its deep, hidden message. Neither its form nor its simple rhyming scheme prepare the reader for the philosophical thoughts it evokes. This poem is definitely not a free-verse poem; it contains an obvious rhyme scheme (ABAABCBCB). Lines 2, 8 and 9 all have four feet whereas the others all have eight. Also, by looking at lines 3 and 4, the poem seems to be almost iambic. Frost also employs some specific literary tools. Alliteration can be seen a couple times in this poem: "... favor fire" and "Some say ..." which is seen twice. Fire/Desire, and ice/hate are paired together metaphorically. In the last two lines, a thought haults and then carries on into the next line, creating a physical break in the poem. Frost could have fit the last two lines in one, but he didn't, surely for a good reason. As this poem is about the end of the time, perhaps he's trying to squeeze as much as he can out of the world (his poem) before his time's up. Like asking God for one more day on Earth, there's one more line to the poem.
The Wood-Pile By Robert Frost.
Michelle Glorsky September 19, 2002 Pages 1865-1866 The Wood-Pile By Robert Frost The most obvious and blatant image in the poem is, of course, nature. The poem contains the wood pile itself, a swamp, winter scenery (snow), and birds as well as the narrator's fascination with communicating with such creatures. The narrator in this poem (as well as in the other assigned poems) appears to be exploring nature, people, etc., and doesn't seem to have a clear background, identity, and is certainly not limited in points of view. This poem (as well as the others) appears to be able to take on several different meaning, like a poetic chameleon. This poem, as a first basis, appears to have very little plot or substance - no underlying secrets, etc. A man goes out for a walk, decides to turn around, then decides to go further and see. The man sees a bird and ponders what the bird might possibly be thinking, until the bird finally settles behind a pile of wood. The wood is described in such a manner to make the reader realize that is has been around for quite a while. The narrator continues on, contemplating who might have left the wood there "And leave it there far from a useful fireplace..." (line 38). The poem is as ambiguous as my simplified summary. At first we come in contact with the narrator who goes out for a walk - is he escaping something, fleeing, or is he
“Mending Wall” by Robert Frost
Trevor Davis Mr. Wright English I 3 6 June 2002 [Title] "Something there is that doesn't love a wall" (Frost 1). So begins the poem "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost. On the surface, this poem appears to be about two neighbors that hold conflicting opinions about the construction of a wall dividing their lands. One of the neighbors thinks that "'Good fences make good neighbors'" (27), where as the other sees no reason to make unnatural boundaries dividing their lands. When the poem is examined further, the reader can see that there is much more meaning in the poem. Robert Frost is said to be a nature-lover (Winnick 1), and this is reflected in Frost's poem, "Mending Wall." Frost uses symbolism quite frequently in "Mending Wall" to demonstrate what is wrong with the world and the fear many have about stepping away from tradition. Three things in Robert Frost's poem, "Mending Wall" serve as symbols throughout the poem: the narrator's neighbor symbolizes society (Mending Wall 2), the wall symbolizes tradition (Haslam 2), and the phrase "'Good fences make good neighbors'" (Frost 27) symbolizes the problems with Frost feels are wrong with society (Mending Wall 3). The narrator's neighbor symbolizes man as a whole because he does not want to step away from tradition. The neighbor wants boundaries clearly marked so that he can know exactly what he can and cannot do. This attitude
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost relates on both a literal and metaphoric level to the concept of a journey.
Amanda Atlee The Road Not Taken The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost relates on both a literal and metaphoric level to the concept of a journey. The poem depicts one man's journey throughout his life, the choices he made and the road he travelled. The Road Not Taken is a poem with universal relevance about a journey that every person takes. Here is a first person narrative tale of a monumental moment in the speaker's life - Frost can be considered the speaker. Frost is faced between the choice of a moment and a lifetime manifested in his poem. Frost presents the idea of an individual facing the difficult unalterable predilection of a moment and a lifetime. This idea in Frost's poem is embodied in the fork in the road, the decision between the two paths, and the speaker's decision to select the road not taken. Frost effectively conveys his theme and meaning through the use of numerous techniques. These techniques include simple yet powerful imagery, word choice and rhyme and rhythm. Also vital in the effectiveness of this poem is the use of symbolism and the extended metaphor present. Literally this man is a traveller standing at the divergence of two roads. Metaphorically this man is in the 'autumn' of his life, suggested by the "yellow wood" and has come to the crossroads where decisions have to be made to determine the rest of his life. The subject chose "the road not
Critical analysis of "Out, Out--"
Critical Analysis of "Out, Out-" "Out, Out--" by Robert Frost is a poem about a young boy who dies as a result of cutting his hand using a saw. In order to give the reader a clear picture of this bizarre scenario, Frost utilizes imagery, personification, blank verse, and variation in sentence length to display various feelings and perceptions throughout the poem. Frost also makes a reference to Macbeth's speech in the play by Shakespeare called Macbeth which is somewhat parallel to the occurrences in "Out, Out-." Frost begins the poem by describing a young boy cutting some wood using a "buzz-saw." The setting is Vermont and the time is late afternoon. The sun is setting and the boy's sister calls he and the other workers to come for "Supper." As the boy hears its dinnertime, he gets excited and cuts his hand on accident. Immediately realizing that the doctor might amputate his hand, he asks his sister to make sure that it does not happen. By the time the doctor arrives, it is too late and the boy's hand is already lost. When the doctor gives him anaesthetic, he falls asleep and never wakes up again. The last sentence of the poem, "since they (the boys family and the doctor) were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" shows how although the boy's death is tragic, people move on with their life in a way conveying the idea that people only care for themselves. Frost's
The poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was written by Robert Frost
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" The poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was written by Robert Frost. Through the poem we sense the voice of a middle-aged, kind hearted man, who enjoys the woods during a snowfall. The tone of the poem is calm and holds the enjoyable surface meaning of a man riding on his horse through a woods on a winter evening. Frost uses repeated vowels to continue the rhyme scheme throughout the poem, which makes it simple to understand. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter and enjambment is seen throughout it. The message of the poem is not to give up, even when things becoming tempting, but to move on for there are things still to be done. Through the poem, the literary devices shown are imagery, diction, and symbolism, which all help the reader understand the core and more depth meaning easier. Imagery is used in many ways throughout the poem. Visual imagery, aural imagery, thermal imagery, and kinesthetic imagery are all seen in the poem. Visual imagery plays a major role throughout the poem and is seen the most. It helps the reader visualize the speakers feelings and surroundings. It is seen in the poem when the speaker is talking about being in the woods by a house amongst people except who can not see him and do not know he is there. Visual imagery sheds meaning on the poem by talking about how beautiful the snow is and helps the
“Deceptively simple poems about everyday rural life and activities” - look at two or three of the Frost poems you have studied and considered whether you think this statement about them is appropriate.
"DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE POEMS ABOUT EVERYDAY RURAL LIFE AND ACTIVITIES". LOOK AT TWO OR THREE OF THE FROST POEMS YOU HAVE STUDIED AND CONSIDERED WHETHER YOU THINK THIS STATEMENT ABOUT THEM IS APPROPRIATE. In this essay I will look at two Robert Frost poems in detail. I will study them to see if they are "deceptively simple" or not and I will then decide to what extent I agree or disagree with the statement. Firstly, I will discuss "Mending Wall". There are many aspects of "Mending Wall" that make it seem like a relatively simple poem. One of these aspects is the poem's structure. The poem is written in one continuous verse. When first looking at the poem one might think that it has a continuous verse formation because it is the most simplistic verse structure that can be used. When looking closer at the reason for this form we find that it is deeply connected with the content of the poem. "Mending Wall" is about human barriers that cannot be broken. This is echoed in the structure, as it too is unbroken. The form also connects with the fact that the two farmers in the poem are rebuilding a wall. The continuous verse is like a wall as well. The barrier featured in the poem is a stone wall, which would have had an uneven top, this is also reflected in the structure as it has an even edge on the right side. "Mending Wall" does not contain rhyme. This makes the poem seem basic, as
Discuss Frosts use of language and setting in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and compare with Desert Places.
Discuss Frost's use of language and setting in 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' and compare with 'Desert Places'. 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' and 'Desert Places' both make use of language and setting to portray certain emotions and how the narrator feels towards these emotions. Both encompass the idea of loneliness and solitude, yet both deliver different ways of viewing such isolation. 'Stopping By' uses language to create an image of complete isolation within the snowy woods. The narrator talks about the setting fondly, speaking of "easy wind and downy flake". The use of 'easy' suggests a quiet and tranquil place, and with the introduction of the idea of 'easy wind', this suggestion is fortified. It could be said that the setting of the Woods is a reflection of his own feelings - whilst he is describing the place to be peaceful, we see that the narrator himself is at peace. Although we perceive the narrator to be alive at this point, there is evidence to suggest that the narrator may be dead, just a ghost floating through the memory of the woods - "between the woods and the frozen lake, the darkest evening of the year" - as if he is frozen in time to this one scenario. There are several other examples of his thoughts towards the Woods, and how he perceives the place to be peaceful, with a sense of great beauty and awe. He clearly states this in stanza 4;
Robert Frost - The Road Not Taken.
Robert Frost - The Road Not Taken : Benedict Connolly 5ND : 2.2.03 Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth. Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same. And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. 'The Road Not Taken' is about choices. Frost tells us of a choice he had to make in life and how he came to his final decision. We are presented with a situation in a wood where the poet must take one of two paths. It does not particularly matter what the decision was, indeed it could be a sequence of choices from entirely life changing ones to minor and relatively ineffectual ones. However, Frost's ultimate thoughts on these decisions are vital to the poem's meaning. Frost realises that it does not matter which path he took provided he took the one which he believed to be the
