1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Biography of Robert Frost

Robert Lee Frost, b. San Francisco, Mar. 26, 1874, d. Boston, Jan. 29, 1963, was
one of America's leading 20th-century poets and a four-time winner of the Pulitzer
Prize. An essentially pastoral poet often associated with rural New England, Frost
wrote poems whose philosophical dimensions transcend any region. His poetry is thus
both traditional and experimental, regional and universal.
Frost's importance as a poet derives from the power and memorability of particular
poems.
Robert Frost mainly focused on the issue of nature. Frost always presented
himself as a New Englander and therefore was interpreted as a nineteenth century
Transcendentalist.
Frost shared with Emerson and Thoreau the belief that everybody was a separate
individuality and those collective enterprises could do nothing but weaken the self
Frost avoided movements simply because they were right or left sided and involved
group undertakings.

2. ANALYSIS
“THE PASTURE” by Robert Frost

I’m going out to clean the pasture spring;

I’ll only stop to rake the leaves away

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):

I shan’t be gone long – You come too.

I’m going out to fetch the little calf

That’s standing by the mother. It’s so young

It totters when she licks it with her tongue.

I shan’t be gone long – You come too.

2.1. PARAPHRASE

He (the farmer) says to his wife that he is going out to clean the pasture spring. As
a farmer who lives near the pasture, he needs to keep the spring clean because it is the
source of fresh water where he and his family depend on. He must stop to rake the
leaves away because the water flow may be blocked by them aand the water freshness
can be polluted. It also requires a little time to make sure that the work is done. It
means that the water will soon be clear after the farmer throw away leaves floating on
the water. Before he goes out to do the work, a guest visits his house. He says to his
guest that he has to do something but it won’t be long. He asks the guests to wait for
him a moment.

He then explains that he wants to fetch the little calf which is standing by its
mother. He thinks that the calf is too young to roam outside. Although its mother has
licked it to help clean its moist body, it still totters. So, it needs the owner’s help beside
its mother’s care.

2.2. DEVICES OF POEM

2.2.1. RHYME
Rhyme is the repetition of the identical or similar stressed sound or sounds. In
frost’s poem the pasture, in the first stanza the rhyme occurs in the second line and the
third line which are the words away and I may. In the second stanza, similar to the first,
the rhyme occurs in the second and third line which are the words young and tongue.

2.2.2. RHYTHM
Rhythm is the reccurences of the same stress or tone in a line to create the word
or atmosphere.

2.2.3. TONE
Tone is the attitude or the speaker described through the poem. So, the tone of
this poem is obedience to God.
2.2.4. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
This poem is full of symbols. The symbols lie in:
♦ Pasture symbolizes the world
♦ To clean the pasture spring means to purify the heart and soul from sin.
♦ Leaves symbolize the sins that lie inside the heart.
♦ Wait to watch the water clear means wait until the clear from sins.
♦ To fetch the little calf means to guide the people who still have weak
faith.
♦ The mother symbolizes God
♦ It totters when she licks it with her tongue means God will send his
messenger to guide the ordinary people. So, God will not directly give
enlightenment to them.
2.2.5. IMAGERY
The poem shows the process of purifying human hearts from sin.

2.3. THE ”I” OF THE POEM

The “ I” of the poem is preacher because he invites people to follow the way
that is considered true.

2.4. GENERAL IDEA

The general idea of this poem is invitation for people to follow the God’s way.

2.5. INTERPRETATION
This poem is about a preacher talking of the right way to become God’s servant.
He asks people to purify their heart from sin before they become His servants. It needs
time to make the heart clean. He says that his duty is to guide people who still have
weak faith for he is the servant of God. He realized that people with weak faith as a
weak little calf that still need other assist besides from his mother (God). He will be
there stand by the people and watch them until they can purify their hearts.

REFERENCES:
Raharjo, Hendarto. 1994. Introduction to English Literature. UNS PRESS, Surakarta.
 ANALYSIS OF ROBERT FROST’S POEM
THE PASTURE

Submitted as the fulfillment for Subject Poem Analysis

Lectured by Drs. Mugiyatno, Msi

Arranged by:
Nanang Syafi’I C 0300007
Nurul Huda C 0300008
Ahmad Thomy H C 0300013
Arso Danardono C 0300018
Yandi Setyawan C 0300065

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS AND ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF SEBELAS MARET SURAKARTA
2003