Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening -- Robert Frost
Literal Comprehension: The speaker is going somewhere on his horseback. He stops on the way to enjoy the beauty of the snow-clad woods of his neighbor. He considers himself to be out of the right track perhaps. So, he thinks that his horse is asking him a question when the animal shakes its harness bells. The place is very peaceful, and it is also very dark in the evening. He enjoys the beauty there for some time. Then he comes to realize that he should not waste time enjoying such beauties. The woods, which are the symbols of beauties, are lovely but they are also dark and deep. And because the speaker has his own promises to keep, he should not allow himself to be led out of his duty by wasting time in enjoyment.
Interpretation: This poem seems to present the conflict in the speaker of two powerful impulses of life. One impulse is the impulse that drags him to a life of ease and comfort. If he lets himself be guided by this impulse, he can pass his life by enjoying the beauties of the woods that he comes through on the way. However, the speaker realizes that he has some other responsibilities to fulfill in his life. He gives due weight even to the “woods,” which are lovely. However, they are also dark and deep, which means that the woods have the capacity to mislead him. One is always likely to miss his or her right path while in darkness. The depth of woods, similarly, has the power to get the speaker to sink in it. The speaker, however, remembers that he has to keep his own promises, and he is thus able to resolve the conflict at last.
Critical Thinking: This poem is very short but it is very powerful. Its power lies in its summing up of the conflict of human life in such a short form. Human life is dominated by the conflict between two opposite impulses: the impulse to beauty and to duty and responsibility. Both are equally powerful. The impulse that drags humans to beauty is particularly more seductive because it offers the possibility of a life of ease and comfort. However, duty-minded persons are not easily misled by such offers. Such persons give more importance to their duties than they do to any offers for comfortable living. This poem presents the poet’s resolution of the conflict he is having in himself. The poet realizes that his own promises are much more important to him. However, one can ask the question: what if duty and responsibility are themselves a source of pleasure for a person? Isn’t it possible that for some people their duty itself is a source of fun and pleasure?
Assimilation: I have been much impressed by this poem. The conflict that it talks about is very interesting. I have always found myself to be in such a conflict. Sometimes, I have to carry out my duty and responsibility, but I feel very tired and I neglect them. It makes me have a guilty conscience, and I feel disturbed in my life. People perhaps cannot be happy and they cannot have peace of mind until they do their duty and responsibility. This poem also talks about a similar kind of thing. The speaker gets fascinated by the beauties of the woods. However, ultimately he comes to realize that those beauties have no significance for him. He remembers that he has some other promises to fulfill in his life. And he makes a decision to go ahead on the journey of his life. The poet is an American poet, and I think that the Americans must have learned much from this poet. I have myself got much understanding of life from it.
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