"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost-Poetry Explication
Summary:
A man (or woman) reflects back a
nd contemplates decisions while knowingly recalls how they stood and pondered long ago on which road
they should take.
A decision is made and a road that has been chosen, or perhaps a particular road
is beckoning him/her on.
Confirmation is given that he/she wants to keep the other road open as an
option to perhaps travel it at another time, if time permitting.
Sigh of relief and confirmation t
hat this individual is content in his/her decision to take the road less traveled; an inner knowing
that the right decision was made.
Form:
Three stanza, five lines each Rhyme Scheme: Two end rhymes
in each stanza (ABAAB)
Speaker: Not specified if male or female, but instead, a persona who is ref
lecting back on his or her own life travels. "Travels", used as a figurative term, depicts this per
son's life experiences; where they started, where they are at now with their contentment, and the in
-between of it all (how they got there because of particular decisions made).
Title "The Road Not T
aken":
Figurative of a path or choices we have; almost a warning to remind the reader that perhaps
we should follow our dreams rather than doing what is expected us-or the usual.
Stanza 1:
The firs
t stanza of the poem describes how the traveler comes to a fork in a road through a "yellow wood" an
d wishes he could "travel both" routes, but at the same time he realizes that the thought of traveli
ng both roads is impractical and therefore makes a choice.
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood"--T
he key word here is "two". Throughout one's life, we are continuously faced with decisions where we
have two choices (or more) and are faced with having to make some kind of decision--even though it m
ay bring uncertainly or prosperity and happiness. Until we decide and move forward, we don't know.
Stanza 2:
The traveler says the other road has "perhaps the better claim because it was grassy and
wanted wear," implying that this road is "less traveled by." The speaker was more enticed by the ro
ad that was less traveled because he/she found it more attractive and seemed to beckon him/her towar
d it.
There is an understanding that the other road (decision) would have been okay, but illustrate
s how one should give some adherence to a certain beckoning to a particular choice (or life path) we
"feel" inclined to take, but don't.
Stanza 3:
Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet Knowing h
ow way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back.
The speaker almost has an intuition ab
out where the other road would have taken him/her and although it may not have been a bad road, he/s
he is pleased with the road taken and really doesn't anticipate the other alternative to his/her pre
sent condition or position in life because he/she is satisfied.
Stanza 4:
After a picture is creat
ed for the reader, the speaker's thoughts are finalized with:
I shall be telling this with a sigh S
omewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood and I- I took the one less traveled by, A
nd that has made all the difference.
The culmination of relief is expressed; the speaker is content
and happy with the road (choice) taken.
Throughout time, the speaker claims contentment regarding
past decisions.
Restatement of the fact that there were choices. Contentment expressed again that t
he road less traveled by was, in fact, the right choice.
Choosing the right road (choice/life path)
made the difference in their life.
Tone:
The tone of the poem is contentment as the speaker refle
cts on his/her past decisions made.
Some metaphoric use as the speaker helps the reader identify wi
th this opportunities (via choices) and circumstances of those choices, as he/she illustrates the co
ntented he/she found versus the alternative.
Literary Devices Used:
Imagery:
"Two roads diverged
in a yellow wood" (from the first stanza), and "And both that morning equally lay/in leaves no step
had trodden black" (from the third stanza) to create a picture in the reader's mind.
Meaning:
The
literal meaning of the poem is that a traveler who came to a fork in a road in a yellow wood and cou
ldn't decide on which road to take but finally chose to take the one that seemed less traveled by.
Figuratively, the theme of the poem is the crucial nature of the choices people must make on the roa
d of life. The story took place in a yellow wood in the morning time.
road taken robert frost poe
try explication summary woman reflects back contemplates decisions while knowingly recalls they stoo
d pondered long which road they should take decision made road that been chosen perhaps particular b
eckoning confirmation given that wants keep other open option perhaps travel another time time permi
tting sigh relief confirmation that this individual content decision take less traveled inner knowin
g right decision made form three stanza five lines each rhyme scheme rhymes each stanza abaab speake
r specified male female instead persona reflecting back life travels travels used figurative term de
picts this person life experiences where they started where with their contentment between there bec
ause particular decisions made title taken figurative path choices have almost warning remind reader
perhaps should follow dreams rather than doing what expected usual stanza first poem describes trav
eler comes fork through yellow wood wishes could travel both routes same time realizes thought trave
ling both roads impractical therefore makes choice roads diverged yellow wood word here throughout l
ife continuously faced with decisions where have choices more faced with having make some kind even
though bring uncertainly prosperity happiness until decide move forward know traveler says other bet
ter claim because grassy wanted wear implying this less traveled speaker more enticed less traveled
because found more attractive seemed beckon toward there understanding other would have been okay il
lustrates should give some adherence certain beckoning particular choice path feel inclined take kep
t first another knowing leads doubted ever come back speaker almost intuition about would taken alth
ough been pleased really doesn anticipate alternative present condition position satisfied after pic
ture created reader thoughts finalized shall telling sigh somewhere ages ages hence roads diverged w
ood took difference culmination relief expressed content happy choice throughout claims contentment
regarding past restatement fact there were choices contentment expressed again fact right choosing r
ight path difference their tone tone poem reflects past some metaphoric helps reader identify opport
unities circumstances those illustrates contented found versus alternative literary devices used ima
gery diverged yellow from first both morning equally leaves step trodden black from third create pic
ture mind meaning literal meaning poem traveler came fork couldn decide which finally chose seemed f
iguratively theme crucial nature people must make story took place morningEssay, essays, termpaper,
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