Mending Wall by Robert Frost

                           Mending Wall by Robert Frost

       

                                     

       

       The present philosophical poem by Frost in which he comments on the secretive attitude of modern man. Every human being in present time has become castle, he/she doesn’t want to come out that secretive attitude and he would not allow other person to know about it. This secretive attitude of modern man is brought into the light in the present poem.

    

    The subject matter of the poem is to repair the wall between the house of the poet and his neighbor’s house. Poet is not in favor of having  wall between his and neighbor’s house but his neighbor insisted on having a wall. Poet found some unseen forces which don’t like that wall, may be that is the reason why there is the gaps and cracks in it. The implied meaning is that God doesn’t want a man should remain aloof from other man. But neighbor is of different opinion that,

    

                     “Good fences make good neighbors”

        Then, Poet compares himself with an orchard of an apple and his neighbor to the forest of pine trees. It suggests that the nature of the poet id different from his neighbor. Neighbor arranges stones on the wall with good balance so that can’t fall down but poet doesn’t like because he doesn’t want any wall.

     Thus, the present poem is sarcastic remark on the human relations in modern man times. The attitude of modern man has became so strange and secretive that he doesn’t want to share any matter with others. he would like to keep wall around him in such a way that there may not any interaction between him and others.  

Stopping by Woods on the Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Stopping by Woods on the Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

         

                         

      

       The present poem is deep philosophical and one of the most celebrated poems of Frost. The first prime minister of the Independent India, Nehru was so much influenced and impressed with the message of this poem that he used to kept this poem on his table beneath the glass.

     

     The poem is simple but the message that it conveys to the readers is deep philosophical and significant about life. The subject matter of the poem is simple , poet goes to a dark, deep, lovely forest on his horseback. It is very beautiful place where poet is tempted to stay and pass the night in the forest but suddenly his horse shakes its head to ring the bells which are tied to its harshness. Here, horse represents the voice of poet’s soul that ask him if he mistaken by decide to stay in the forest. Poet reminds that,

      

          “The Woods are lovely, dark and deep

            But I have many promises to keep

            And miles to go before I sleep

            And miles to go before I sleep.”

Here, sleep symbolize ultimate death but poet finally realizes that there are so many responsibilities and works to be done by him before he dies. So, he can’t stay there but continue his journey. Poem is about the internal dilemma of the between love for beauty and sense of duty.

       Poet chose the sense of duty and gives the final message that sense of duty (karmas) in life is more important than tempting beauty, no tempting beauty should ever prove to be a hindrance on the path of duty. Poem is also speak similar to Indian Philosophy of Karmas that doing your Karmas and don’t worry about the results.

      In our life, many times it happens with us that we are tempted by many things in our life like money, success, beauty & love but we can’t stay/stop there forever, we should continue our journey to reach at the goal or the final destination of life by performing various works, duties / responsibilities till the end of our life.

Gift Outright by Robert Frost

                      Gift Outright by Robert Frost

         

                               

    

       This poem is written in 1936, it is sonnet in iambic pentameter. Poem is addressed by descendant of white American settlers who live in Virginia and Massachusetts, two states of America.

       

       It deals with the serious issue of United States of America, about a constant conflict going on between the native people of America and settlers/colonizers that made U.S.A their permanent home. It is in a form of request of settlers to native people to accept them as a part of their native community.

       

                 “The land was ours before we were land”

       Settler said that he accepts U.S as motherland but still he has not been accepted as native by people of that country. Still, they treat as colonizer or outsider that differences pains the settlers. 

     “We were withholding from our land of living,

       And forth found salvation in surrender”

       Settlers decide to surrender themselves after remain aloof for long span. Change come in the attitude of the settlers, they realized that there is no salvation for them if they don’t surrender themselves. So, they offered as s gift to the native people of an America and they hope that they are accepted as a gift not rejected.

       Frost himself experienced this conflict and here he tries to give the solution to the problem between natives and settlers, he said it can be solved only love, violence has no place in it.

Fire and Ice by Robert Frost

                       Fire and Ice by Robert Frost

                     

                        

       

        This poem provides best illustration of use of metaphysical elements and antithesis by the poet. It is very short poem in which poet‘s philosophical temperament is found, deals with the theme of destruction of the Universe. It presents the Nature as destroyer and creator.

       

        Here poet has given an example of two different natural elements that can be caused to the destruction of the world. Opening lines which links to two mythology Indian and Christian.

         

             “Some say the world will end in Fire, 
                                                 Some say in Ice”

       

     Poet gave some reasons and said both elements are capable to destroy the world by comparing it with human life. ‘Fire’ symbolizes human desires are just like the flames of fire which never end. Human desires are main driving force which can compels person to go to any extent to fulfillment of those desires. Further he said, ‘Ice’ is also equally capable to destroy the world. He associated it with cold blooded hatred which modern man have for fellow human beings.

     

     The present poem has a very philosophical note as it comments o the human nature by natural elements. First aspect of human nature is burning desire and second cold blooded hatred, both are having the capacity to destroy the world which gives the image of modern truth.

          

Design by Robert Frost

                              Design by Robert Frost

            

                                   

        

            This is a short but philosophical poem written by Frost on the natural elements and beliefs of puritan society according to New Testament that 

                 

           “All that happens is designed by Lord-God”

    

         Frost has questioned this puritan belief of society by giving the example of one incident of Moth, Spider and white Flower. In this, Spider wants to eat moth by killing it and it successful in it as the color of flower is white and spider also changed its color into white so it can catch Moth. Finally, Spider killed the Moth. Poet here said that generally puritan people believe that it’s the destiny of Moth which responsible to kill it but poet gives the logical reason that the color of flower is genetically changed into white otherwise it helps Moth to save its life.

  

     Frost gave the feeling of horror by saying that “dimpled spider fat and white” and compares it with human nature.

           

            White (good) + Spider (evil) = Human nature

          It’s the beauty and specialty of his poems that he always connects the natural elements with human nature as it is part of nature which is good as well as evil.

   

Frost has given the statement that “If design is working in such a small things than what will happen with the big issues of society and human life.”

       After reading this poem as a reader, questions arises in our mind that

     

        Q.   What bring Moth on the flower?

        A.    May be its fragrance.

       Q. How flower has changed its color?

       A.  May be there is genetic problem.

      Q. How Spider being successful in killing moth? 

       A. May, it has some evil power.

        Thus, the poem is clearly questioning the spirituality, religious aspects of destiny and power of creator and destroyer. As per poet’s view there is no any force of destiny or god to kill the Moth but nature has its own power to create as well as destroy.