Robert Frost’s “Design”
Robert Frost has always been one of my favorite poets. The excellent poem “Design” written by this great scientist poet has many examples of figurative language, like similes and imagery. Also, the theme of this poem is very inspiring and meaningful. First, Robert Frost uses numerous similes in his sonnet “Design”. For example, in the third line of the first stanza it says, “like a white piece of rigid satin cloth” describing the moth as white is telling that its pure. Comparing it to satin and using the word rigid is describing the moth in a frozen or lifeless state. “Hovering over this image is the hint of rigor mortis and the satin fabric which customarily lines the inside of coffins” (George Montiero). Another example is located in last line of the first stanza, “like a paper kite” comparing the moth’s wings …show more content…
In the second line it states, “a white heal-all”. This is one example of imagery, it “suggests purity and safety, though the color echoes the white of the swollen spider” (Reuben A. Brower). The quote, “design of darkness” in the fifth line of the last stanza is another example of imagery. It better describes the bad intentions of the spider. The use of “darkness” also gives a bit of irony because the word “white” has been repeated five times throughout the poem.
Finally, I believe Frost is trying to describe the design of life as the theme of his sonnet. Humanity wants to believe that we have freedom and free will, but the design of life or “the circle of life” proves otherwise. Not every event in our lives is coincidence or to our convenience. He is portraying that there might be an upper hand in control of our lives, whether it is fate or the will of God. In the last stanza he wrote, “What brought the kindred spider to that height,” which seems to be questioning if life is just a series of coincidental events or it is that no matter what we do, evil will always find
Robert Frost has always been one of my favorite poets. The excellent poem “Design” written by this great scientist poet has many examples of figurative language, like similes and imagery. Also, the theme of this poem is very inspiring and meaningful. First, Robert Frost uses numerous similes in his sonnet “Design”. For example, in the third line of the first stanza it says, “like a white piece of rigid satin cloth” describing the moth as white is telling that its pure. Comparing it to satin and using the word rigid is describing the moth in a frozen or lifeless state. “Hovering over this image is the hint of rigor mortis and the satin fabric which customarily lines the inside of coffins” (George Montiero). Another example is located in last line of the first stanza, “like a paper kite” comparing the moth’s wings …show more content…
In the second line it states, “a white heal-all”. This is one example of imagery, it “suggests purity and safety, though the color echoes the white of the swollen spider” (Reuben A. Brower). The quote, “design of darkness” in the fifth line of the last stanza is another example of imagery. It better describes the bad intentions of the spider. The use of “darkness” also gives a bit of irony because the word “white” has been repeated five times throughout the poem.
Finally, I believe Frost is trying to describe the design of life as the theme of his sonnet. Humanity wants to believe that we have freedom and free will, but the design of life or “the circle of life” proves otherwise. Not every event in our lives is coincidence or to our convenience. He is portraying that there might be an upper hand in control of our lives, whether it is fate or the will of God. In the last stanza he wrote, “What brought the kindred spider to that height,” which seems to be questioning if life is just a series of coincidental events or it is that no matter what we do, evil will always find