Symbolism in Robert Frost's Poems

Name: Hina P.Chauhan
Sem: 3
Roll No. : 10
Batch: 2018-20
Enrollment No. : 2069108420190006
Paper No. :   10, The American Literature.
Topic:  Symbolism in Robert Frost’s Poems.

Email ID: hinachauhan36511@gmail.com
Submitted to: Smt.S.B.Gardi Department Of  English,M.K.Bhavnagar University.

v Intreoduction:

Robert Lee Frost was well-known American Poet. He was born on March 26th 1874 and died onJanuary 29th 1963. His initial work was firstly published in England and Later on published in America. He was highly regarded for realistic depiction of rural life and his command over Colloquial speech.

Robert Frost was influenced by the emotions and events of everyday life. He was one of the most famousfor being Pastoral Poet. Most of his famous poems were inspired by the natural world, everyday life.

Frost has Clarrified his interest in the Pastoral world as a subject for his Poetry- After the publication of his Collected Poems.

“Poetry is very, very rural- rustic. It might be taken as a symbol of man, taking its rise from individuality and sedusion- written first for the person that writes and then going out into its Social appeal and use.

v  What is Symbolism?

 Symbolsw are basically words which are evocative and emotive. The collection of relations and meaning, connected with evocative- emotive words to directly our mind and eye.

C.M.Bowra views symbolic poetry as a:

   “ Kind of mystic poetry in which the poet tries to convey his sense of the mystery of life.”

Symbolism is basically an indirect mode of expression that suggests much more than what is actually described.

v  Symbolism in “Mending Wall”

           The poem ‘Mending wall’ has its literal and hidden meaning. It symbolizes various conflicts such as religious, political, economic, national, racial, and prejudices which devides man from another man and becomes hurdle in the way of harmonious relationship and mutual understanding.

             The poem deals with a conflict with an old man and his young neighbor. The problem between traditional and modernity is represented by both of the neighbors.

      “ Good Fences make Good Neighbors”

The two contradictory ideas are there in poem that Fencing the fall and not fencing wall. The poem deals one to question – whether there should be a boundry or not. Intentions of both the sides are clear but the total meaning of the poem is not offered.

               “ Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,

                That sends the frozen ground swell under it,

                And spells the upper Baulders in the sun ”

v  Symbolism in “ Home Burial” :

        ‘Over Wrought’ mother’s feelings is the main Idea which the poem ‘Home Burial’ deals with.

             The Mother can’t forget that the grave of her burried child was dug by her husband. She can’t forget that her husband has burried their child in their little graveyard.

              She thought that her husband is a callous person. Her child’s memory has separated her from her husband. Her husband is a simple man and thinks that his love for her should be sufficient to console her.

              The Poet believed that there is such a power that governs things which occurs, some unknown power weaves such appealing, ‘Designs of Darkness’ but in the end Frost admits the possibility that there is no such design.

          The emotional arguments of the mother in the poem is the symbol of sisters and strain, alienation which is a stuff of humanity of the modern age.

v Symbolism in “Design”:

       ‘Design’ is a beautiful sonnet by Robert Frost. Hisa universe is very different than other poetys. He is very unique in consept of poems.

         Critics has praised ‘Design’. It is almost terrifdying poem. Lawrence Thomson says that the Poem ‘Design’ is;

      “ A Dark Study of White”

The ‘Heal-All’ is a country plant which supposed to have healing Properties hencxe it is named as ‘Heal-All’. At color it is blue. Poet comes to this plant. the spider holds a white Moth in it’s mouth , in this way the pattern of whitness is seen by poet.

             The White Spioder,The White Flower, and The Whith dead Wings...

      “And dead Wings Carried like a Paper Kite”

By observing this Pattern or Design of Whiteness and talks about it.

v  Symbolism in ‘The Gift Outright’:

‘The Gift Outright’ is a wonderful Patriotic poem by Robert Frost. It is very small lyric poem. acritic namewd- Rondell Jarrel says about this poem that;

     “ The best patriotic poem ever wriiten

             about our own country.”

While another criticsa says that;

“ The love of Country is not expreesed in screaming or hystrrical flag-waving, but in a salvation of faith, in surrender to the land.”

v Symbolism in ‘Fire and Ice’:

The Poem ‘Fire and Ice’ is the Poem, which has illustration of the use of metaphysical and antithesis by Robert Frost.  The Contradictory Concepts “Fire” and “Ice” have been in this Poem. the Poet has depicted two concepts; in which ‘Fire’ symbolizes cold of hatred and death.

          It is only nine line’s poem. The poem is wildely rich in Imagery.

 “Some say the would will end in fire,

  some say in Ice, 

  From what I’ve tasted of desire;

  I hold with those who favour Fire”

v Symbolism in “Stopping By Woods on a snowy

 Evening”        

It is one of the moving lyric of robert Frost. The poem has rich texture and it admits some interpretations. By surface meaning, it seems as if a  simple take that depicts the poet pause the Woods.

           Frost has conveyed his message through rich symbols. Pessimism was aLSO symbolycally there in this poem.

A light he was to no one but himself where now he    sat, concerned with he knew not what,

A quite light, and then breathing, but still step not even that.

The log that shifted with a jolt once in the stove, disturbed him and hi shifted,

And eased his heavy.

 

v  Conclusion:s

                  In this way Robert frost has used variousa symbols which is quite difficult to grasp. The Poems by Robert Frost are symbolically mysterious.