ABSTRACT
The
present study aims to analyze the stylistic features of the poem The Road Not
Taken by Robert Frost. The poem is composed of different literary devices that
need analysis through interpreting the expressions that these devices have
brought to give meaning to the poem, such as the style, theme, poetic devices,
imagery, and sound devices. The present analysis will surely guide the readers
to understand better the meaning behind the poem “The Road Not Taken”, and the
poet.
Keywords: Style, Stylistics, Theme,
Poetic devices, Imagery, Sound devices
INTRODUCTION
Style in
poetry refers to all the choices that are made to create the poem's meaning.
Style can include technical choices, such as using short or long lines, varying
or omitting punctuation, or using a set rhythm or rhyme scheme. Style can also
include poetic choices such as diction, form, and subject matter. All these things
contribute to a reader's overall experience reading a poem, and they make up
its style. The style of writing poetry differs from person to person--long or
short meters, three or four lines to a stanza. But the great thing is, no
matter how a poem is written, it still holds great emotion. Robert Frost has a
unique conversational style that is unlike any other dramatist. Frost has
written a large number of poems in which the speakers are engaged in
conversations and tends to characterize the speakers as more dramatic actors.
Style
Robert Frost's writing style can best be described as a mix of 19th-century tradition combined with 20th-century contemporary technique. Frost was a modern poet who liked to use conventional form metrics combined with New England vernacular. His writing style changed gradually over time, becoming more abstract in his later years. In terms of poetic style, Frost utilizes the iambic pentameter and the iambic tetrameter in his conversational pieces. He is known for ending his poems with a “gnomic, epigrammatic, even hortatory and sermonic statement (Charney 150).” And, he seems to be seeking some conclusive moral or philosophical message at the end of his poems.
Stylistics
The term
stylistics is employed in a variety of senses by different linguists. In its
widest interpretation, it is understood to deal with every kind of synchronic
variation in a language other than what can be ascribed to differences of
regional dialect. At its narrowest interpretation, it refers to the linguistic
analysis of literary texts. One of the aims of stylistics in this sense is to
identify those features of a text that give it its stamp and mark it as the
work of a particular author. Another is to identify the linguistic features of
the text that produce a certain aesthetic response in the reader. The aims of
stylistics are the traditional aims of literary criticism. What distinguishes
stylistics as a branch of linguistics (for those who regard it as such) is the
fact that it draws upon the methodological and theoretical principles of modern
linguistics.
INTRODUCTION OF THE POET, ROBERT FROST
(1874-1963)
Robert
Lee Frost, New England’s cherished poet, has been called America’s purest
classical lyricist and one of the outstanding poets of the twentieth century.
He was a modernist poet. During his childhood, he thrived in English and Latin
classes and discovered a common thread in Theocritus' and Virgil’s poetry and
the romantic balladry. Frost’s style was influenced by the early romantic poets
as we can see the romantic features in his poems. Frost was born on March 26, 1874, in San
Francisco, California. He spent the first 11 years of his life there until his
journalist father died. Beginning in 1897, he attended Harvard University but
had to drop out after two years due to health concerns. He returned to Lawrence
to join his wife. In 1900, He moved with his wife and children to a farm in New
Hampshire and they attempted to make a living on it for the next 12 years.
Though it was a fruitful time for Frost's writing, it was a difficult period in
his personal life, as two of his young children died. Despite such challenges,
it was during this time that he acclimated himself to rural life. He grew to
depict it quite well and began setting many of his poems in the countryside.
Frost demonstrated an enviable versatility of theme, but he most commonly
investigated human contacts with the natural world in small encounters that
serve as metaphors for larger aspects of the human condition. His 1916 poem,
"The Road Not Taken," is often read at graduation ceremonies across
the United States. As a special guest at President John F. Kennedy’s
inauguration, Frost became a poetic force and the unofficial "poet
laureate" of the United States. Frost was widely admired for his mastery
of metrical form, which he often set against the natural rhythms of everyday,
unadorned speech. In this way, the traditional stanza and metrical line
achieved new vigor in his hands. Over his long career, Frost succeeded in
lodging more than a few poems where, as he put it, they would be “hard to get
rid of,” among them “The Road Not Taken” (published in 1915, with its meaning
disputed ever since). He can be said to have lodged himself just as solidly in
the affections of his fellow Americans. For thousands, he remains the only
recent poet worth reading and the only one who matters.
INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM “THE ROAD NOT TAKEN”
The Road
Not Taken, a poem by Robert Frost, published in The Atlantic Monthly in August
1915 and used as the opening poem of his collection Mountain Interval (1916).
Written in iambic tetrameter, it employs an abaab rhyme scheme in each of its
four stanzas.
The poem
presents a narrator recalling a journey through the woods when he had to choose
which of two diverging roads to travel. The work’s meaning has long been
disputed by readers; Frost himself claimed that it was a parody of the Georgian
poet Edward Thomas. Frost credited Thomas's long walks over the English
landscape as the inspiration for his poem, "The Road Not Taken." He
spent the years 1912 to 1915 in England, where among his acquaintances was the
writer Edward Thomas. Thomas and Frost became close friends and took many walks
together. One day as they were walking together they came across two roads.
Thomas was indecisive about which road to take and in retrospect often lamented
that they should have taken the other one. After Frost returned to New
Hampshire in 1915, he sent Thomas an advance copy of "The Road Not
Taken". Thomas took the poem seriously and personally, and it may have
been significant in Thomas's decision to enlist in World War I. Thomas was
killed two years later in the Battle of Arras.
METHODOLOGY
The
stylistic analysis will be used to identify the elements of language and
classify expressions being applied to the poem as part of understanding the
possible meanings of it. The present study will recognize the concept of style
that the poet had used to emphasize the text which effectively causes an impact
on the readers.
The theme of the Poem
The theme
of the poem is life choices, indecisiveness, and risk. The poem introduces the
two paths; one was taken by most people, and the other was not, which on the
other hand, shows that it is part of human survival to choose, decide and risk.
People should avoid doubting their choices because, at the end of the day, it
would make a difference, Thus, if you won, you succeed, but if you failed, you
learned.
HANDLING OF THEME
The theme
is handled through the given terms or lines and the image is created to
readers’ minds which also created the dilemma. The poem begins with a dilemma a
persona had on having two roads diverging in a yellow wood, and that the person
can’t travel both, as stated in the second line, which gives the readers the idea that the poem talks about, “deciding what choice to make and risk, but
somewhere sometime people would doubt and even regret their decisions without
knowing that it is all part of the process.” The two roads and the yellow woods
are both simple terms and had a simple image, but the meaning it offers to the
readers extend beyond its literal meaning. Then, later on, the speaker
describes the differences between the said two roads, not to mention that these
roads have something in common. However, someone who has been traveling knows
what a road would look like if taken by many people and those who were not
taken by travelers. In life, regardless
of how identical the path people have chosen, they still lead to different
destinations. For example, people decided to pursue education and go through
the same challenges but ends up with a different career. However, most of the
time people would have moments that they would have doubts about taking another
path or pursuing another field after finally got the other one, as presented in
the third stanza,
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.
Looking
back on the struggles to achieve a specific destination, most people would stop
by where they at, and would doubt taking another opportunity knowing that it
would be another long rough journey. There was an urge for the persona to take
another path but then he doubted if he should. With the lines presented in the
last stanza, readers would finally realize that the theme lies within the
lines. The moral of the poem was presented in the last part and so it shows
that the poem perfectly offers a dilemma and common struggles of life in choosing
what path to make.
POETIC DEVICES
Symbolism
Symbolism
presented different ideas present in a single term. Giving these terms their
symbolic meanings create a deeper and significant understanding of the poem.
Two roads diverged in a yellow
wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
Two roads
represent the choice of a journey the persona would have to take. Yellowwood
signifies autumn, wherein yellow leaves fall.
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I
could
To where it bent in the
undergrowth;
These
three lines symbolize a solo journey of the persona and that he tried to see
how far the road would take him.
Then took the other, as just as
fair,
And having perhaps the better
claim,
Persona
also stands to the other road to assess which roads he wanted to take. He tried
to compare the two roads to better so he could have a better claim.
Because it was grassy and wanted
wear;
Though as for that the passing
there
Had worn them really about the
same,
The
following lines describe the two roads. Grassy and wanted wear symbolizes that
the road was not taken by most people because leaves grow freely and that no
sign of cut trees and grass usually happen when people step on them or make a path that would guide the other travelers which are also signified on the next
lines,
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.
It is
another representation of doubting taking another journey to see other
opportunities. Coming back symbolizes the struggles the persona has been
through to get to his destination, and now he doubted if he could suffer it
again.
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.
Sigh
symbolizes a fulfillment of reaching the destination he chose. The persona took
the road less traveled and that made him different from others.
IMAGERY
The
object, or experience that a poet is contemplating is usually perceived by that
poet in a relationship to some second object or event, person, or thing. The
poet may be thought to transfer from this second object certain qualities,
which are then perceived as attributes of the original object, the poet intends
to decorate, illuminate, emphasize, or renew by such transferences the original
character of that which is contemplated. The making or finding of the image is
an activity by which the poet invites the reader to establish certain
relationships, which in turn involve value judgments.
Simile
A simile
in poems or literature as a whole may be expressed directly and indirectly or
simple and complex or short and long. “As just as fair” in the second stanza is
an example of a simile.
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,
It means
that it is valid and even to compare the two roads to have a better claim of
what to choose between the two. The comparative language was used to make a
decision.
Metaphor
In poetry
a metaphor may perform varied functions from the mere noting of a likeness to
the evocation of a swarm of associations; it may exist as a minor beauty or it
maybe the central concept and controlling image of the poem. Through metaphors
with the other literary devices, “The Road Not Taken” offers a significant
lesson about life in general especially in dealing with the decisions people
have to make.
It stated
in the poem that there are “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” which is the
metaphor used for the entire poem because it brought the dilemma of life about
making the right choices whether it is for temporary satisfaction or permanent
fulfillment. At some point, there is a need to decide and take a risk in life
to survive. Two roads are meant for two options while the yellow wood implies a
fall season or autumn years. Autumn is the time when old leaves fall or new
leaves grow. It is the time when people decide to take a path for a new journey.
And looked down one as far as I
could
To where it bent in the
undergrowth;
Metaphorically
means uncertainties of life. Regardless of the path people have chosen, no one
would ever know where does it took them. Therefore, people tried to balance
things up, assess any possibilities that might happen and then decide what
they think is better, which is highlighted in the line “and having perhaps the
better claim.”
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden
black.
After
having a comparative analysis of the two roads, the persona came out with the conclusion that they are identical, “and both that morning equally lay,” which
is metaphorically represented by the idea of having no leaves had trodden.
Oh, I kept the first for another
day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to
way,
I doubted if I should ever come
back.
Metaphorically
means that in life, we may look back on our past decision but we can never go
back to them.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole
is used to express terms or ideas in an exaggerated language that emphasizes
the emotion of the literary work. In the poem, the line “Somewhere ages and
ages hence:” is an example of "hyperbole" which can be found in the
17th line.
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.
The
underlined line overstated the time. It
simply means “years from now” at anywhere the speaker would tell that he had an
option, but he chose the one who is rare to choose.
SOUND DEVICES
The
following sound devices are used in the poem, The Road Not Taken
Alliteration
Alliteration
adds a beautiful rhythm to the poem which also helps to emphasize the
mood. In the poem, the “wanted wear”
from the 8th line, “Because it was grassy and wanted wear,” is an example of
alliteration. Also, the “first for” from the 13th line, “Oh, I kept the first
for another day.” The “telling this” from the 16th line, I shall be telling
this with a sigh, and the “took the” from the 19th line, “I took the one less
traveled by.”
Consonance
Consonance
is the recurrence of consonant sounds within or at the end of the given
line. This gives a poem a rhythm and
beat that would add emphasis to the emotion present on each line.
The
repeating “r”, “w”, “t”, “f”, "th", “d”, “s”, and "f"
sounds make the poem more interesting to readers because of the rhythm it
produces. Roads diverged in a yellow
wood (Line 1), not travel (line 2), looked down one as far as I could (line 4),
to where it bent (line 5), Then took the other, as just as fair (line 6),
wanted wear (line 8), though as for that the passing there (line 9), both that
(line 11), first for (line 13), knowing how way leads on to way (line 14), this
with (line 16), ages and ages hence (line 17).
Assonance
Assonance
is the recurrence of a vowel sound within or at the end of the given line which
establishes a rhythm. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood (line 1), sorry I
could not travel both (line 2), and be one traveler (line 3), looked down one
as far as I could (line 4), where it bent (line 5), as just as fair (line 6),
having perhaps (line 7), was grassy and wanted (line 8), as for that the
passing (line 9), both that morning (line 11), way leads on to way (line
14), I doubted if I (line 15), I shall
be telling this with a sigh (16), ages and ages(line 17), less traveled (line
19), And that has made (line 20).
Rhyme scheme
The poem
consists of 20 lines and divided into four stanzas with the rhyme scheme of
ABAAB CDCCD EFEEF GHGGH; A-wood, B-both, A-stood, A-could B-undergrowth;
C-fair, D-claim, C-wear; C- there, D-same;
E-lay,
F-black, E-day, E-way, F-back; G-sigh H-hence, G-I G-by, H-difference. There is
a unique arrangement of rhymes, wherein the first, third and fourth are rhymes,
and the second and fifth lines are rhymes.
CONCLUSION
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is not just about Thoma's indecisiveness in choosing what road to take and then lamented for not taking the other one. There is more about the poem that makes it interesting to readers, one of which is the life lesson it brings especially that in life people must take time to assess each life choices such as opportunities, careers, relationship because once the decision has been done there is no going back, we would either failed or succeed. The comparative language used by the poet gives the poem an idea about the theme and the message of the poem. Furthermore, the ironic undertones throughout the poem were used to leave an interest in the other paths, but regardless it makes the poem real because in life we won’t know what will happen if we take the other path, and that is the beauty of life. Not knowing where your risks will take you.
REFERENCE
1. Gary R. Hess: (2020) How to Use Techniques and Styles in Poems. https://www.poemofquotes.com/articles/poetry_technique.php
2. Julianne Hansen, M.A: (2020) What is the meaning of Style in poetry https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-is-the-meaning-of-style-in-poetry-129725
3. Hamp, E. P., Lyons,. John and Ivić,. Pavle (2020, September 11). Linguistics. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/linguistics
4. A&E Television Networks: (2021) Robert Frost Biography. https://www.biography.com/writer/robert-frost
5. Poetic and Writing Style of Robert Frost. (2016, Sep 01). Retrieved from
https://phdessay.com/poetic-style-of-robert-frost/
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https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Frost
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APPENDIX
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;
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,
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.
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.
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