An Analysis of the Poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
Introduction
Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” provides a recollection of the decisions people make in life, the regrets, and curiosity we have on the decisions we did not take. The work of art highlights that a traveler, in this case, humans, can never rekindle the lost opportunities they failed to take in life. I chose this poem because it reflects the life of virtually everybody. Each day we are presented with choices of which we have to make a selection based on the rewards and the convenience we achieve through such choices. In the end, the decisions we make come to haunt us or fulfill our justifications.
The poem's literal setting is also an intended metaphor, which is a symbol for big choices that need to be made in the traveler’s life. The forest is imagery of the society as a whole, and the two diverging roads represent two vast choices in the reader’s life that he or she must make. Besides, the road bends and so that the traveler cannot foresee where the road leads, which is a metaphor describing a person’s inability to see the possible future outcome of the decision they just made. Next, Robert Frost conveys the curiosity and the regret the traveler had over the road not he did not take. “And sorry I could not travel both” (stanza 2) depicts how he regrets the decisions he took. “I shall be telling this with a sigh” (stanza 2) also shows he is regretting his decision. In the final stanza, Frost ends with the phrase “I,” and consequently resumes the preceding line with “I,” demonstrating the split decision the traveler has over his actions. Lastly, the poem’s title suggests contemplates the decisions not taken or rather the road not taken. Robert Frost settled on a title g that depicts regret, as it is talking about the road that he did not take.
Robert Frost is a renowned poet who did many great poems. “The Road Not Taken,” which highlights the life of a traveler who encounters a junction his journey and must ultimately choose a path to follow is among his most famous literary works. After his decision, he shows regret and curiosity for the path he did not take. Thus, reminiscing the title of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” which highlights the decisions we make in life, the regrets, and the curiosity we have concerning the decisions we have not made in our lives. This depiction is proven through the use of literary elements, style of writing, and the poem’s title.
Robert Frost’s poem metaphors reveal that in life we have certain important decisions that we have to make no matter the impending consequence and we have to live by the results of such decisions. In the first stanza of the poem, we see a traveler walking in a forest but comes to an abrupt fork in the journey, the hand has to choose in regards to the path he wants to take. Therefore, the entire poem based on the two divergent paths, which is one giant metaphor and thus an extended metaphor. The poems use of metaphor begins by the actual physical forest together with the two divergent paths in a yellow wood. These aspects denote the two critical choices in my life of which I must decide upon.
On the other hand, the yellow wood indicates that the choices have to be made in the fall, hence representing a fall in the life of a reader and that exactly the point with which to arrive at a decision. “And looked down one as far as I could/to where it bent in the undergrowth” ( Stanza 2) this direct quote from Frost’s poem depicts how a traveler is only able to see a specific distance down his or her path. Just like in our real lives, we are only able to view a certain bit of the future consequences of the decision we make of which we must only choose a specific decision to follow.
Next, Frost writes in a manner that depicts his curiosity and regret of the path not taken. In the second line, the poet writes “and sorry I could not travel both” expresses the regret he had for taking the path he chose. Also, when he states the traveler mentioning “looked down one as far as I could.” This statement reveals Frost’s desire to foresee what the future holds for the decisions he takes. After making a choice, the writer becomes sorry that he could take both paths. He further exhibits more regrets over the decisions he makes when he says “I should be telling this with a sigh/…/I took the [road] less traveled by/and that has made all the difference” (stanza 3). This quote informs readers that regrets his first decision with a sigh and through that he took a road that was less traveled, ultimately making a substantial difference over his future. In the final stanza, the poet ends a line with the article “I,” resuming the next with “I,” therefore, showing the split decision he had in his mind concerning the choice he made.
Further revealing that the traveler even though made a decision, he was split in his mind over the choice he arrived at and regrets to present day. The final line of the poem states that “I took the [road] less traveled by/and that has made all the difference,” indicating through the decision contributed towards making a difference in his life, it was not evident whether the change was negative or positive. Therefore, revealing that the decisions we make in our lives, regardless of the regrets and the curiosities that hover over us concerning the choices we make are irreversible.
Lastly, the poem’s title suggests a contemplation a path not taken; it reads “The Road Not Taken” which directly refer to the road the traveler did not follow. The author could as well have made the title read like “Two Road” or “The Least Travelled Road.” However, by choosing the title, it shows all the regrets the traveler had while pondering over his decision and his curiosity over the potential outcomes of his choices.
In summary, it is evident that Frost’s poem talks of a traveler who has to decide in regards to the road for the journey. Frost ’s poem depicts a situation every person in this world because at any given point one has to make a decision and be ready to face the consequences for their actions. From the poem, it is not clear whether the transformation was positive or negative thus leaving the readers to see for themselves. This poem particularly touches on young people like me who still have lots of choices to make that will ultimately give directions for our lives. Lastly, there is not the right or wrong decision, what matters is whether the choice ultimately answers one’s objectives.
Work Cited
Frost, Robert. The road not taken: A selection of Robert Frost's poems. Macmillan, 2002.
