Poetry Essay Robert Frost

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The Crossroads of Life Robert Frost wrote a poetic masterpiece in the form of The Road Not Taken. Some of the main aspects that intrigue people about this poem are the many interpretations that can be taken of the poem and the use of layered meanings. This poem has put Robert Frost down in history as an amazing poet. This poem uses literary devices to deliver a deeply cryptic message and a life lesson that Frost has implied. The first line in the poem is “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” On the surface this is a relatively basic sentence. The quote obviously means that there is a fork in the wooded trail that Frost has been following. Beyond the apparent surface meaning lies a significantly deeper meaning. In a metaphorical meaning the quote represents the two roads which represent a difficult choice Frost must make and the yellow wood represents the calm and structured life that Frost currently leads. This is significant because it sets the tone for the rest of the poem as one of deciding between two life-altering choices. The second line is equally important in establishing the setting in this poem. The second line states “And sorry I could not travel both”. On the surface this remark represents a curiosity to know what is at the end of both paths. Applied to a life setting this means that the choice in question is particularly hard and Frost can see the upside of both choices which further muddles the metaphorical line between which is the best choice. This could also lead to speculation of what the metaphorical decision is asking Frost to decide between. From the beginning of the poem the choice is not an easy decision of good or evil, but more likely a choice between either two goods or, more likely, the choice between the lesser of two evils. The second stanza feels that Frost is comparing the two paths in detail and not seeing any outstanding
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