Blog 4 ---- The Road

Xu Xiong

Dr. C. Jason Smith

Eng 102 0858

3/22/2012

The Road

            Robert Lee Frost was born in San Francisco, California, in 1874 and died in Boston on January 29, 1963. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. One of the most popular and critically respected American poets of his generation, Frost was honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry: 1924 for New Hampshire: A Poem With Notes and Grace Notes, 1931 for Collected Poems, 1937 for A Further Range, and1943 for A Witness Tree. When Robert Frost was 75-year-old and 85-year-old's birthday, the U.S. Senate paid tributes to him. Frost was 86 when he performed a reading of his well-known poem “The Gift Outright” at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy on January 20, 1961.

"The Road Not Taken" was written in 1915, which is a philosophy of lyric poetry, the poet depicts a picture of two roads in a yellow bush that deviates a road winding into the jungle; a road covered with soft and thick grass. As the passing of the "I" fork in the road before hesitated, hovering, because the two paths different styles, but all beautiful, flat, covered with leaves, the same charm to attract me, waiting for the riding practices, and "I" can only choose one. If only the choice of two roads, a poet without hesitation over and over again here, "Road" has a deeper meaning, it symbolizes the journey of life, the poet is faced with the choice of path in life, no wonder he can hardly lift the foot. Because whether it is wise or stupid, we cannot return to the original fork restart.

There are two roads in the woods, one of which disappeared in the jungle, the poet in a fork in the road, faced with a choice (1-5). But “I” chose the other way which “as just as fair”, “because it was grassy and wanted wear” (6-10). Although the other way is also nostalgia for “me”, but would rather take the one others rarely go poet accountable Road. This indicates that the "I" do not want to follow the crowd their minds and determination to go along the selected road. He recognized that choose to make their own lost another possibility, while the other side of the landscape may be very charming or fun (11-15). “I” think to the future when “I” look back, “I” may realize that the road I chose “that has made all the difference” (15-20).

The poet describes the "I" stood in the crossway, was regret cannot be involved in two road; a flat smooth road is expected to see its end; another way secluded desolate, full of the introduction of the temptation to explore. There is whether to choose which path that cannot be involved in two roads. A complex psychological process, "I” finally chose a less piece of deserted road, want to go the other way is left to, which is obviously a self-comforting after the author to make a choice, because "Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back". But the poet chose the road less traveled is not a hasty decision, although he knew the other way may be flat and smooth, he chose a piece of secluded and lonely road (1-10). Even “I” am also nostalgia to the other way, but I would rather go a little way. This indicates that “I” don’t want to follow the others’ mind. There are also some hesitations, hint of contradiction that this is not worried about his choice is a mistake, but “I” can only choose one way that is such a pity. He realized that choose to make his life lost another possibility, while the other way may be very charming, with other fun (11-15). When “I” look back in the future, “I” would realize that this moment the road to choose is the fate of my lifetime. But nobody would know which way is better (16-20).

            The theme of the poem is a critical issue in our real life: the choice of path in life. Once the road of life has determined, we have to go down this route. Life is not long time, and people don't have enough opportunities to catch up. When Mr. Frost wrote this poem, he was in the choice between becoming a teacher or writer. If teaching is a flat smooth road of life, the road of writing can be full of secluded desolate. However, he finally chose the way. In retrospect, after he was famous writers and imagines if he didn’t choose to be a poet and became a teacher, what’s he would be? This confusion is also we will encounter the fork in the road of life.

Works Cited

Wikipedia.org

Dictionary.com

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, 
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;                 5

 Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,                10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.               15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.               20

ENG102

3/16/12

Xu Xiong

The river of life

                Thomas Campbell (27 July 1777 – 15 June 1844) was a Scottish poet chiefly remembered for his sentimental poetry dealing specially with human affairs. He was also one of the initiators of a plan to found what became the University of London.  In 1799, he wrote “The Pleasures of Hope” a tradition 18^th century survey in heroic couplets . he also produced several stirring patriotic war songs. I think the poem is great and portrays with accuracy the life’s stages we go through. It adheres to strict rhyme and meter which is more difficult than commonly acknowledged.

                ‘The more we life’, the ’more brief’ each stage of life becomes. ‘Youth’ is current life. ‘Disorders’ means terrible future. ‘Steals lingering’ means people want to stay youth. ‘grassy borders’ means the board of good life. ‘ the care worn cheets grow wan’ means got old. ‘stars’ are hopes for people. ‘Bloom and breath’ means meaning and fantasy. ‘vapid’ means nothing. ‘Heaven’ is a hope and dream. ‘years’ is lives.

                The primary metaphor for life is the river. In youth , this “gladsome current” is at its most “smooth”, “lingering” on verdant “grassy borders”, before it is disturbed by “passion”. This vision of life as a river’s journey is evoked by the author’s use of the ballad form, with its rollicking rhymes in each stanza keeps the mood buoyant, even when the poem describes the sadness of age.

                     What is the haven? It is that gives our years of “fading strength” an “indemnifying fleetness”. This powerful and memorable phrase grants a redemptive gravitas to time’s peculiar will. It’s perversity os really a form of protection. It is only suitable that our happiest and most joyful days are those of the greatest “seeming length”.

 

 

Biography information: Wikipedia.com

The River of Life

Thomas Campbell (1777–1844)

THE MORE we live, more brief appear   Our life’s succeeding stages: A day to childhood seems a year,   And years like passing ages.   The gladsome current of our youth,         5   Ere passion yet disorders, Steals lingering like a river smooth   Along its grassy borders.   But as the care-worn cheeks grow wan,   And sorrow’s shafts fly thicker,         10 Ye Stars, that measure life to man,   Why seem your courses quicker?   When joys have lost their bloom and breath   And life itself is vapid, Why, as we reach the Falls of Death,         15   Feel we its tide more rapid?   It may be strange—yet who would change   Time’s course to slower speeding, When one by one our friends have gone   And left our bosoms bleeding?         20   Heaven gives our years of fading strength   Indemnifying fleetness; And those of youth, a seeming length,   Proportion’d to their sweetness.