00209--Robert Frost///'"The Road Not Taken." summary

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN- SUMMARY

  "The Road Not Taken" is one of Frost's most characteristic meditative lyrics.  Among the major themes of Frost's poetry are his ambiguous relationship with nature, his interest in the paradoxes of life and his faith in human fortitude.  Some of these are touched upon in "The Road Not Taken."  The "road" here is, of course, the career or occupation that a man might choose to follow at a particular period of his life.  Frost was a farmer, a teacher and a journalist before he chose to become a professional poet.  Perhaps it is this choosing of a new "road" in his life that prompted the poem.  Life always offers us roads of different choices.  Our decision determines our future.

           One day as the poet was walking through a small forest he saw his road branching away into two directions.  It was autumn, the roads were covered with yellow leaves.   As he had to make a choice, the poet stood there for some time and took the road that was less used.  This means that the other road was much traveled by, meaning that it was a path of conventional career.  But he took the road which was less conventional, and therefore more adventurous.  The poet thought that he would travel along the other road some other day.  But when he thought that the way he took must lead to other ways, he knew that he could never come back to use the second road.  Years later he would tell his friends about those roads and how his choice had made all the difference.  But the poet does not clarify what the difference has been, whether it has been good or bad.  He leaves it in ambiguity.

            

Robert Frost

Superficially the poem describes a simple, common country scene in simple language.  But a closer look will reveal the deeper meaning it has.    Many of the characteristic features of Frost's poetry can be seen here.  The speculation on the untrodden path is natural to a poet like Frost who avoids the expression of romantic excitement about the experiences of life.  Frost employs a simple language and no decorative imagery.  But his interest in paradox and ambiguity makes the poem deeper than it looks at the first reading.