Reliance Foundation School, Koparkhairane

Session 2021-2022
Handout
Name: _________________ Date: ____________
Class: 10 Sec: _______ Roll No.: __________
Topic: Fire and Ice Handout No.: _______

POEM:  “FIRE AND ICE” - By Robert Frost 

                       
Some say the world will end in fire,  But if it had to perish twice, 
Some say in ice.  I think I know enough of hate 
From what I’ve tasted of desire  To say that for destruction ice 
I hold with those who favor fire.  Is also great 
And would suffice. 
Notes:
 The poem expresses the profound idea that the world would end in either of two ways, either by ice or
fire. 
 One group is of the opinion that someday the Earth’s core will get so heated up that it would lead to
fire destroying the earth’s surface. On the other hand, the second group says that if the temperature
goes down to an extent that makes life on Earth impossible, it would have the same catastrophic
effect.
 The poet then compares fire and ice with the destructive features of human emotions; desire and
hatred.
 He says that from what he is aware about “fiery desires”, he would favour the ones who say that it
would be fire. By saying so, he brings about the idea that human beings let their emotions rule them
and the consequence of unmonitored longing is chaos.
 Then by not waving off the first option of fire, he considers if the world has to die twice, ice would be
equally competent in ending it.
 He brings about a contrast between “ice” and “hatred”. The human capability of insensitivity and
hatred has the potential for inner destruction. Though slow and steady, it has the same effect that
desire has on us. So if given an option between fire and ice, ice would be just as good as fire to destroy
the world.

Poetic devices
1. Rhyming scheme- aba,abc,bcb
2. Assonance- it is repetition of vowel sounds in same line. The repetition is at different places in different
words. Example- The long sound of “o” in “I hold with those who favour fire”
3. Alliteration- alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the start of two or more closely placed
words. Example- The sound of “f” in “favour fire”, “w” in “world will”
4. Imagery- Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Example- “Some say
the world will end in fire”
“To say that for destruction ice Is also great”

RFSKK_WS_CLASS 10_English_Fire And Ice PAGE 1

5. Anaphora- the repetition of a word or expression at the start of two or more consecutive lines.
Example - “Some say” is repeated at the start of lines 1 and 2.
6. Personification- Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. In this poem, “fire” and “ice”
are capable of destruction. Thus, the poet personifies fire and ice by giving them mind and power to destroy
anything.
7. Enjambment- it is defined as the thought or clause that does not come to an end at a line break, rather it
moves over to the next line.
Example- “From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire” 

Main Points of the Poem

1. The poet feels that this world of ours will come to an end.
2. He is not very clear when the end will come.
3. He comes to this conclusion on the basis of what people say on this subject.
4. He seems to show his agreement at what people say regarding the ending of the world.
5. On the basis of what people think, the poet believes that this world will come to an end by the two highly
contrasting but powerful elements of nature — fire and ice.
6. Either fire or ice or both will be the cause of the ending of the world.
7. Then the poet links these two powerful natural elements to human beings and their emotions.
8. In the first stanza, the poet shows his agreement with those who believe that fire will cause the end of the
world.
9. He links the element of fire to the human emotion of desire or passions.
10. The uncontrolled fire of passion and desire may lead us to the end of this world.
11. Then, the poet comes to the second alternative that can cause the end of this world.
12. It is the ‘ice’ which can also cause the end of the world.
13. In terms of human emotion, ice means ‘hate’ created by ‘cold reasoning’.
14. Cool and calculated icy reasoning can lead to hate and can be the cause of the end of this world.
15. The poet himself has experienced both these primal emotions of love as well as hate, fire as well as ice,
passions as well as cold reason.
16. He has experienced enough of hate which is born out of icy cold reasoning.
17. In the end, Frost agrees that it doesn’t matter whether it is fire or ice, both can cause the end of the world.
18. ‘Ice’ or ‘hate’ born out of cold reasoning is quite sufficient for causing the end of the world.

Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice” is a strong symbolic poem where fire is used as the emotion of desire and
ice, that of hatred. He has used the idea of two groups who have their own possible explanation for the end of
RFSKK_WS_CLASS 10_English_Fire And Ice PAGE 2
the world. One is of the opinion that fire alone, can destroy each and every possibility of life on Earth while the
other thinks that if ice as a result of extreme low temperatures could cover the earth’s surface, it would lead
to the end of the world. Both the components are compared with self-destructing human emotions: desire
and hatred. The poet is originally of the opinion that he has been very closely associated with the “fiery
desires” and considers it capable of bringing human beings on the verge of destruction. Thus, he considers fire
as more competent for destruction. But then he thinks that “icy hatred” is just as capable of ruining humans,
though slowly and steadily. Therefore, if Earth was to end twice, ice would be just as good as fire. If fire would
lead to rapid destruction, ice would lead to silent damage. Similarly, if fire is pure passion, ice is pure reason.
Thus, the poem, very artistically, underpins the philosophy that we let our emotions rule us and if don’t
control them they will surely bring us all on the verge of chaos.

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What will the world end in?

(C) both (A) and (B)

2. What does violent desire refer to?

(A) fire

3. What does ‘ice’ symbolize?

(B) hatred
(C) violent desire (D) all of the above

4. What do some people think, the world will end in?

(A) fire (B) sun
(C) moon (D) rain

5. What does the poet think, the world will end in?+
(C) both

6. Can hatred destroy the world?

(A) yes (B) no
(C) maybe (D) may not be

7. According to Robert Frost, what will end one day

(D) the world

Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:

Q4. What do the metaphors of ‘ice’ and ‘fire’ convey to the readers? Don’t they represent the two extremes of
human behaviour that can lead to the destruction and death of this world? What is the message that the poet
wants to give to the readers?

RFSKK_WS_CLASS 10_English_Fire And Ice PAGE 3