About Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy

Evening" By Simran Khurana, ThoughtCo.com on 12.17.17

Word Count 683
DIRECTIONS:
1. ANNOTATE THE TEXT BY TYPING AND/OR HIGHLIGHTING. BE INTENTIONAL AND
THOUGHTFUL WHEN ANNOTATING.

2. STOP AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTER EACH SECTION IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

ANSWER THE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS BY HIGHLIGHTING YOUR CHOICES.

3. CHOOSE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF POETRY THAN YOU CHOSE YESTERDAY ON THE

“TYPES OF POETRY” SLIDESHOW I SHARED WITH YOU. GOOGLE EXAMPLES AND
ADD ONE TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS ASSIGNMENT.

Photo from the public domain

Robert Frost was one of America's most esteemed poets. His poetry often
documented rural life in America, particularly New England.

The poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is considered a hallmark

of simplicity. With only 16 lines, Frost used to describe it as "a short poem with a
long name." It is said that Frost wrote this poem in 1922 in a moment of inspiration.

The poem was first published on March 7, 1923, in the magazine the New
Republic. Frost's poetry collection "New Hampshire," which went on to win a
Pulitzer Prize, also featured this poem.

What kind of poetry did Robert Frost usually write?

Short and complex poems that documented rural life

Deeper Meaning In "Stopping

By Woods ..."
The narrator of the poem talks about how he stops by the forest one day on
his way back to his village. The poem goes on to describe the beauty of the forest,
covered in a sheet of snow. But there's a lot more going on than just a man riding
home in the winter.

Some interpretations of this poem suggest that the horse is actually

the narrator, or at least, is in the same mindset as the narrator, echoing his
thoughts.

The central theme of the poem is the journey of life and the
distractions that come along the way. In other words, there is so little time,
and so much to do.

What symbolism did Robert Frost use in the poem “Stopping by Woods?”
Beauty of the forest, journey of life, little time, much to do.

The Santa Claus Interpretation

Another interpretation is that the poem is

describing Santa Claus, who is passing
through the woods. The time period
described here is the winter solstice when
presumably Santa Claus is making his
way to the village. Could the horse
represent the reindeer? It seems possible
that the narrator could be Santa Claus
when he reflects on "promises to keep"
and "miles to go before I sleep."

Why do some interpret the poem to mean

that Santa is making his way to the
village?

The season is winter, when Santa Claus would be delivering presents. The
horse might be a reindeer.

The Staying Power Of The Phrase "Miles To Go Before I Sleep"

This line is the most famous in the poem, with countless academics arguing
over why it's repeated twice.

Its underlying meaning is the unfinished business that we have while we are
still alive. This line has often been used in literary and political circles. When Robert
Kennedy made a tribute speech after the assassination of President John F.
Kennedy, he said:

"He (John Kennedy) often quoted from Robert Frost - and said it applied to himself -
but we could apply it to the Democratic Party and to all of us as individuals: 'The
woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I
sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."" The first prime minister of India, Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, kept a copy of Frost's book close to him till his last years. He
hand-wrote the last stanza of the poem on a pad that lay on his desk: "The woods are
lovely, dark and deep/But I have promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep/And
miles to go before I sleep." When Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau died, on
October 3, 2000, his son Justin wrote in his eulogy: "The woods are lovely, dark and
deep. He has kept his promises and earned his sleep."

What does “Miles to go before I sleep” mean?

There will be a long time until he dies, when the canadian prime minister died, the last
line of his eulogy was, “He has kept his promises and earned his sleep." sleep
probably means death.

Does The Poem Reflect Frost's Suicidal Tendencies?

On a darker note, there is some indication that the poem is a statement about Frost's
mental state.
He faced many personal tragedies during his lifetime and struggled in poverty
for more than 20 years. His younger sister Jeanie and his daughter were both
hospitalized for mental illness, and both Frost and his mother suffered from
depression.

Many critics suggested that "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was a

death wish, a contemplative poem that describes Frost's mental state. The
symbolism of snow as cold and the forest being dark and deep adds foreboding.

However, other critics just read the poem as a ride through the woods. It's
possible Frost was being optimistic by ending the poem with "But I have promises
to keep." This suggests the narrator wants to go back to his family to fulfill his
duties.

What is your opinion on if the poem was about Frost’s mental state?
Support with evidence.

Probably depressed, as there is some indication that the poem is

symbolism about Frost's mental state. The symbolism of snow as cold and the
forest being dark and deep gives the idea what his mental state might be like.

Quiz
1. Read the first sentence of the article.
Robert Frost was one of America's most esteemed poets.
Which other sentence from the introduction BEST emphasizes what the
author means by "esteemed"?
a. The poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is considered a
hallmark of simplicity.
b. It is said that Frost wrote this poem in 1922 in a moment of
inspiration.
c. The poem was first published on March 7, 1923, in the magazine the
New Republic.
d. Frost's poetry collection "New Hampshire," which went on to win a
Pulitzer Prize, also featured this poem.

2. Read the paragraph from the section "Does The Poem Reflect Frost's
Suicidal Tendencies?"
Many critics suggested that "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was
a death wish, a contemplative poem that describes Frost's mental state.
The symbolism of snow as cold and the forest being dark and deep adds
foreboding.
How do the words "contemplative" and "foreboding" convey the tone of this
interpretation?
a. by emphasizing a brooding and ominous feeling
b. by suggesting a simple and straightforward prediction
c. by emphasizing a thoughtful and curious personality
d. by suggesting a depressing and violent history

3. Which idea does the author develop LEAST in this article about
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"?
a. the visual imagery of the woods and the impact of it in the final line
b. the support for the interpretation that the poem is about Santa Claus
c. the role and meaning of the poem often applied in political circles
d. the possibility that tragedies in Frost's life influenced the poem

4. How does the author describe different interpretations of the poem over
the course of the article?
a. The author presents all of the various interpretations of the poem as
equally valid and accepted by literary critics.
b. The author begins by presenting Frost's own interpretation of the
poem and then compares it with others.
c. The author presents different interpretations of the poem but
emphasizes its message about life's duties.
 d. The author begins by presenting early interpretations of the poem
and then contrasts them with more modern ones.

Type of Poem: Free verse

Example of Poem:The Garden

By Ezra Pound

Like a skein of loose silk blown against a wall

She walks by the railing of a path in Kensington Gardens,
And she is dying piece-meal
of a sort of emotional anemia.

And round about there is a rabble

Of the filthy, sturdy, unkillable infants of the very poor.
They shall inherit the earth.

In her is the end of breeding.

Her boredom is exquisite and excessive…
will commit that indiscretion.