Robert Frost
Robert Frost, most famous for such works as “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” inspired the world with his poetry. Because most of the time he was coping with the death of a loved one, a large majority of his poems contemplate the purpose of life and what comes after death, simultaneously reflecting his constant feelings of isolation and grief.
Born on March 26, 1874, to William Prescott Frost Jr. and Isabelle Modie Frost, Robert Frost lived in San Francisco for the first eleven years of his life. His mother introduced him to Shakespeare and other similar literature at an early age, instilling in him an early passion for reading and learning. In 1885, William Prescott …show more content…
He uses such techniques as diction, imagery, and an ominous tone to subtly reveal his inner feelings of isolation. While reading the poem, one can tell that Frost chose his words extra carefully. He speaks of having been “acquainted” with the darkness, or “night,” which symbolizes both his loneliness and the negative events he has experienced over the course of his life, meaning it is now familiar to him. He knows well the grief that accompanies the loss of each loved one because he has felt it so many times. The word “acquainted,” however, possesses undertones of not fully knowing someone. Thus, he is familiar with the darkness, but he does not know its true nature, so he willingly journeys out to meet it and learn about it (Kidd). The speaker also states that he has “outwalked the furthest city light.” The word “furthest” is typically used in the English language to describe concepts, but Frost utilizes it here to discuss a physical object, which suggests that the “city light” is not just a city light. Instead, it represents the hope of connecting with anyone else. He has ventured so far into the darkness, has felt so much grief, that he is beyond the reach of anyone who can understand him; there is no hope of anyone being able to relate to his loss, which isolates him from the world. Frost also uses the word “further” to …show more content…
The rhymes connect between each stanza, and the end of the poem loops back around to match the beginning rhyme. This, coupled with the repetition of “I have been one acquainted with the night” as the first and last lines creates the effect of cycling thoughts that keep going on, neverending. Thus, the man is not only familiar with the night, but also with the redundant routine of contemplation and loneliness.
Frost’s constant experience with loss of family members, along with his witnessing the global effects of two world wars influenced his poetry. He incorporated themes of darkness, isolation, and grief, as well as questions about life’s purpose and what might come after our deaths. For this reason, Frost’s poetry is still widely celebrated. It addresses many of the questions most people want to ask but can not find the words for, and, in many cases, his works also lead the reader to finding the answers they
Robert Frost, most famous for such works as “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” inspired the world with his poetry. Because most of the time he was coping with the death of a loved one, a large majority of his poems contemplate the purpose of life and what comes after death, simultaneously reflecting his constant feelings of isolation and grief.
Born on March 26, 1874, to William Prescott Frost Jr. and Isabelle Modie Frost, Robert Frost lived in San Francisco for the first eleven years of his life. His mother introduced him to Shakespeare and other similar literature at an early age, instilling in him an early passion for reading and learning. In 1885, William Prescott …show more content…
He uses such techniques as diction, imagery, and an ominous tone to subtly reveal his inner feelings of isolation. While reading the poem, one can tell that Frost chose his words extra carefully. He speaks of having been “acquainted” with the darkness, or “night,” which symbolizes both his loneliness and the negative events he has experienced over the course of his life, meaning it is now familiar to him. He knows well the grief that accompanies the loss of each loved one because he has felt it so many times. The word “acquainted,” however, possesses undertones of not fully knowing someone. Thus, he is familiar with the darkness, but he does not know its true nature, so he willingly journeys out to meet it and learn about it (Kidd). The speaker also states that he has “outwalked the furthest city light.” The word “furthest” is typically used in the English language to describe concepts, but Frost utilizes it here to discuss a physical object, which suggests that the “city light” is not just a city light. Instead, it represents the hope of connecting with anyone else. He has ventured so far into the darkness, has felt so much grief, that he is beyond the reach of anyone who can understand him; there is no hope of anyone being able to relate to his loss, which isolates him from the world. Frost also uses the word “further” to …show more content…
The rhymes connect between each stanza, and the end of the poem loops back around to match the beginning rhyme. This, coupled with the repetition of “I have been one acquainted with the night” as the first and last lines creates the effect of cycling thoughts that keep going on, neverending. Thus, the man is not only familiar with the night, but also with the redundant routine of contemplation and loneliness.
Frost’s constant experience with loss of family members, along with his witnessing the global effects of two world wars influenced his poetry. He incorporated themes of darkness, isolation, and grief, as well as questions about life’s purpose and what might come after our deaths. For this reason, Frost’s poetry is still widely celebrated. It addresses many of the questions most people want to ask but can not find the words for, and, in many cases, his works also lead the reader to finding the answers they