Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “The Road not Taken” by Robert Frost

“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “The Road not Taken” by Robert Frost

Robert Frost is a poet who is known for his simplicity in writing yet giving deep meanings in the words. His poems represent real life situations where people have to make choices that can change their lives for the better or for the worse. The poems “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and The Road not Taken” are no different. These poems signify a journey, which is most commonly interpreted as the journey of life. The simplicity of the words used in these poems makes them easy to understand. Additionally, it is easy to attach personal meanings to these poems, as they seem very applicable to every human life. In both poems, the speakers reach a point of hesitation in their journeys. These hesitations are different and are based on distinct impulses considering the point that each speaker has reached in their life. The following is an analysis of these hesitations, what causes them and what action the speaker takes after such hesitation.

In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, the speaker is on a journey on a snowy evening. However, the hesitation comes in a place where it is quiet and far away from other people. The speaker says that it is strange for him “to stop without a farmhouse near” (Frost line 6). His hesitation comes from an urge to admire the beauty and the calmness that comes with a snowy evening. He stops so that he can watch the snow fall and the woods gradually “fill up with snow” (4). In this poem, the speaker hesitates in his journey to give him an opportunity to admire and capture a mental image of the beauty represented by the snowy evening. He even describes the wind as “easy” to signify that he is aware of all that surrounds him at this particular time (Frost 12). It is also important to note that he understands that this is “The darkest evening of the year” meaning that staying here too long may lead him to losing his way in the woods (Frost 8). This is why his hesitation does not last long and he soon decides to continue with his journey leaving the beauty behind.

In this poem, the speaker’s hesitation is caused by a search for calm and peace in a world full of chaos. He stops at a place where no other people live so that he can enjoy solitude away from all the hustle and bustle of life. The calm woods and the frozen lake offer him a sense of stillness that cannot be found in the places where farmhouses and real life exists. However, it is also important to note that the speaker chooses to stop at an area where he is familiar. He even knows the owner of those woods as indicated in the first line. The familiarity makes him comfortable watching the snowy evening yet he is far enough to make sure no one disturbs him. His horse is his only companion at this point and serves as a connection between him and the real world. When the horse “gives his harness bells a shake”, he brings the speaker back to reality such that he can move on with his journey (Frost 9). This ends the speaker’s hesitation as he remembers that he still has obligations to be met referred to as “promises to keep” in the poem (Frost 14).  The last line signifies that in order to gain that solitude and calmness experienced on this snowy evening, he must first finish his journey. This is sometimes described as death whereby the speaker realizes that he still has a lot to do, before he can finally rest in peace.

The hesitation taken by the speaker in “The Road not Taken” is different from what we have seen above. The journey that the speaker is taking in this poem is different and presents him with two roads where he must choose one. The hesitation comes about when the speaker reaches an intersection of roads. There are two roads, one “bent with undergrowth” and the other “grassy” (Frost 5/8). The speaker understands that he cannot travel on both roads and must therefore choose one to follow. In this hesitation, the speaker takes time to consider both roads in order to make a choice that will satisfy his needs at the moment and even in future. After careful consideration, he chooses to take the road that “was grassy and wanted wear” (Frost 8). This road presents new opportunities for the speaker as it has been less travelled and for him, this is all that he needs.

This poem represents a situation where the speaker is faced with two choices in life. He must choose one that will lead to his failure or success. In this perspective, careful analysis of the two choices is necessary since this can make or break his life. This shows the importance of this hesitation as opposed to the one seen in the first poem. It is necessary for the speaker to hesitate since making a quick decision may have a negative impact on his life. This is why the speaker stood at the intersection for a long time, examining the two roads (Frost 3). He “looked down one as far as he could” in order to make sure that he had a clear picture of what to expect when he chooses the road (Frost 4). When he made the choice to travel on the second road, he says that he might return to the other road on another day. However, the speaker understands that this may not be possible as his choice may lead him to other roads (Frost 14). He knows that he might never come back, emphasizing the importance of making the right decision right here, at the intersection. However, at the end of the poem, the speaker says that making a choice to travel on the “less travelled” road “has made all the difference” meaning that it was the right decision for him (Frost 19/20). In this perspective, the hesitation has provided him with new opportunities to move forward and the choice he made has brought him satisfaction.

In summary, the two poems represent the kind of hesitation that one might have on the journey of life. In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, Frost might refer to a person in old age who thinks that his time of death has come but later realizes that he still has obligations to meet. On the other hand, the hesitation in “The Road Less Travelled”, may represent a youthful person who might have the option to choose between things that are crowded and have been done by many people and new experiences that might bring challenges. In this case, the hesitation serves as time to ponder on the advantages and disadvantages of each and finally making the right decision. In conclusion, both hesitations serve as important changing points in the lives of the speakers implying that it is important for people to stop and evaluate their lives before moving on with the journey.