Isolation In Robert Frost's Acquainted With The Night

We have all felt alone and in the dark at some point in our life. Acquainted with the

Night, By Robert Frost is a poem that deeply expresses emotions of isolation, detachment from

self, disassociation and a depressive state of being. Robert Frost explores isolation through

figurative words and poetic devices. From the beginning the word acquainted is a word that

conveys meaning of distance and lack of close familiarity. The author states he was acquainted

with night, meaning he stayed in much isolation. Isolation is further expressed and demonstrated

through the repetitive anaphora use of the word “I”. “I” meaning alone and isolated without

closeness to others in his surroundings, the speaker is demonstrating detachment and …show more content…
The third stanza continues with the depressive theme. The author writes “ I have stood still and

stopped the sound of feet..” “Sound of feet” is a syntax and conveys the author’s disconnection

from reality, human warmth and relatedness. He uses “Sound of feet” rather then “ the sound of

my feet” which suggests detachment of his feet from his own body.

In the last stanza as mentioned before, the author uses a metaphor, comparing a clock to the

“luminary sky”, conveying possible hopelessness. The sky meaning that there is a possible end

to the hopelessness but the end is in unearthly height, which is unreachable. The ambiguity of

time represents that the author is trapped in a timeless desolation which he cannot escape from.

The author mentions distance throughout his work, whether between him and the moon, the

distance he walks at night or distant cries he hears. Distance is symbolic for the mental

disconnectedness and distance between him and the world around him. The author creates a

mood through his symbolism of loneliness, disconnectedness and feelings of sadness. The

speaker also mentions walking throughout his poem. Walking is symbolic for wanting to