The poetry of Robert Frost often centers on the setting of nature. As a resident of New England, Frost incorporates the surrounding landscape into his poems. While Frost's poems may seem straightforward because of the simplistic natural setting, they often contain a much deeper and profound message which resonates with the reader. Frost's poems depict humans as travelers on the journey of life. Throughout this journey we must make choices--from the mundane to the utterly life-altering. Three of Frost's early poems, "The Road Not Taken," "The Wood-Pile," and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," showcase his idea that our choices shape our futures and the people we become.
"The Road Not Taken" is one of Frost's most famous poems, but many readers often misunderstand it or do not read between the lines. Many people take a positive message from this poem when, in all actuality, the tone shows remorse and the message proves poignant (Lentricchia).
Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken", 1874 - 1963
Robert Frost, American poet
Photograph of the "Stopping by Woods Room" in Robe...The poem begins with the speaker in the woods considering a fork in the road. He feels dismayed that he cannot take both roads, and he regards each in turn. At first it appears as though one road is less traveled than the other, but the scattering of leaves on each caused them to look almost identical, "And both that morning equally lay / In leaves no step had trodden black." The speaker chooses one road and promises himself he will take the other another day, but he knows it is unlikely the opportunity will present itself. The last stanza seems to be misunderstood the most. The speaker tells of a time in the future where he will speak of this event with " a sigh" saying, "I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference."...