DUST OF SNOW
ROBERT FROST
1. How has the poet observed nature in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’
Answer: The poet has observed nature as a positive medium of change for him. The poet had been the
sorrowful and depressive mood in the poem. But then the way a crow shook snow dust off, it changed
his mood. Nature gave him the inspiration to behave in a positive manner.
2. Why does the poet use such poetically uncommon bird and tree? What does it reflect?
Answer: The poet seems to be in a depressed and sorrowful mood. In such a mood, one cannot think of
a sweet and beautiful side of nature. The harsh, bitter and poisonous images come to his mind. That is
why he uses an uncommon, harsh, ugly crow and poisonous tree like hemlock.
3. What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem? How does it reflect?
Answer: The sorrowful and depressive mood of the poet is reflected in the poem. The use of the bird
‘crow’, which is ugly and harsh, and hemlock tree, which is a poisonous plant, reflects the poet’s mood.
4. Write a note on the setting of the poem.
Answer: The poem presents a perfect setting. There are four elements in the poem. All these four
elements match one another. The snow stands for depression. The hemlock tree is a symbol of sadness.
The crow considered ominous. The poet’s mood was also sad. But suddenly the way in which the crow
shook the hemlock tree and falling off the dust of snow change the poet’s mood.
5. What is the underlying message for us in our hectic life with reference to the poem, “Dust of
Snow”? / What is the central idea of the poem “Dust of Snow”?
Ans: In the poem ‘Dust of Snow‘, the poet wants to convey that sometimes certain moments or actions
which are simple have larger significance. They can change the mood or life of a person. The way a
crow shakes down dust of snow on the poet inspires and gives him the idea to shake off his depressive
thoughts, become cheerful and do something useful.
6. Simple moment proves to be very significant and saves rest of the day of poet from being wasted.
Explain on the basis of the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Ans: ‘Dust of Snow’ is a beautiful poem written by Robert Frost. This poem conveys that even a simple
moment has a large significance. The poet mentioned crow and hemlock tree in this poem. Crow
signifies his depressive and sorrowful mood and hemlock tree is a poisonous tree. Both these signify that
the poet was not in a good mood and so he describes the dark, depressive and bitter side of nature to
present his similar mood. The poet says that once he was in a sad, depressive mood and was sitting
under a hemlock tree. A crow, sitting on the same tree, shook off the dust of snow, small particles of
snow that remained on the surface after the snowfall, on the poet. This simple action changed the poet’s
mood. He realised that he had just wasted a part of his day repenting and being lost in sorrow. But the
change in his mood made him realise that he should utilize the rest of the day in some useful activity.
His sorrow was washed away by the light shower of dust of snow. His spirit was revived and he got
ready to utilize the rest of the day.
7. What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent-joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow that the
crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?
Ans. The crow and hemlock tree represent sorrow and depression felt by the poet in this materialistic
world. The dust of snow is the symbol of natural joy and energy. The dust of snow that the crow shakes
off a hemlock tree means passing through the sad and depressing moments the poet is entering into the
time full of joy and optimism.
8. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s
mood changed?
Ans: The ‘dust of snow’ means the fine particles or flakes of snow. The sudden shower in the form of
the dust of snow changed the poet’s mood. The poet’s mood changed from sad to happy. He felt
refreshed and wanted to enjoy the rest of the day.
9. How does Frost present nature in this poem?
Answer: Frost presents nature in a very different manner in the poem. Generally poets take the birds and
trees which are known for their beauty and good qualities like peacock, parrot, cuckoo, sparrow and
trees full of beautiful flowers and fruits etc. But here Frost has taken a totally different line, he chooses
crow, a bird which is black in colour with very harsh voice and believed to be the symbol of bad omen.
Likewise, hemlock tree is a poisonous plant with white flowers. It means he has left all the beautiful
colours present in the world and has chosen black and white. Actually the poet has done so to present his
mood and feelings. The crow and hemlock tree represent sorrow and depression felt by him in this
materialistic world. On the other hand the dust of snow is the symbol of natural joy and energy. It means
passing through the sad and depressing moments the poet is entering into the time full of joy and
optimism.
10. Positive attitude in life can make the world a better place to live in. Do you agree or disagree with
reference to the poem “Dust of Snow”? Express your views bringing out the inherent values.
Ans. I completely agree with the statement that positive attitude can make the world a better place to
live in Robert Frost, in ‘Dust of Snow‘, talks of how an otherwise bad day altered into a not so bad one,
due to the action of a crow. It was a seemingly disconnected occurrence that brought about a change of
mood in the poet. One lesson that can be learnt from the poet is to see the brightness amidst the gloom.
The crow, the hemlock and the snow are all dark images, and yet, the poet sees the colour of happiness.
Another lesson is that life is made up of small joys. It is through them that one can always manage to see
positivity in negativity.
Poetic Devices:
i.
Assonance - The sound of vowel o is prominent - shook down on me.
ii.
Enjambment - The sentence is being continued to the next line without the use of any punctuation
marks. It has been used throughout the stanza.
iii.
Metaphor - The poet has compared the snowflakes with dust in line 3.
iv.
Imagery - The poet has given the visual description of the whole stanza.
v.
Symbolism - When something has been used as a symbol.
• The hemlock tree is a poisonous tree which has been used as a symbol of death by the poet.
• The crow has been used as a symbol of something inauspicious or something which can worsen
a person's mood as the crow is often regarded as the ugliest of all animals.
vi.
Alliteration - Occurrence of same letter at the beginning of closely connected words –
• Has given my heart
• And saved some part
vii.
Synecdoche - The poet has mentioned that his heart was given a change of mood but its not only his heart
but his entire self who has been given a change of mood by the dust of snow.
FIRE AND ICE
ROBERT FROST
Introduction
Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice” expresses the profound idea that the world would end in either of two ways,
either by ice or fire. Both the components are compared with self-destructing human emotions: hatred and
desire. The poem, very artistically, underpins the philosophy that we let our emotions rule us and if don’t
control them they will surely destroy everything around us. Similarly, he thinks fire and ice, both are just as
competent in bringing the world to a catastrophic end.
1. What are the two popular views in the society regarding the destruction of the world?
Ans: The poem deals with the age-old belief about how the world will come to an end. Some believe
that the world will end in fire, but to others, it will end in ice. It is shown in the poem that each of them
has potential energy to bring about the destruction of the world.
2. What do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for?
Ans: In the poem, ‘fire’ is associated with greed, cruelty, and lust, whereas ‘ice’ is associated with
rigidity, hatred, coldness, and indifference.
3. Which two ideas about how the world will end have been mentioned in the poem? Which idea does
the poet support more?
Answer: The two ideas mentioned are that the world will end in fire or in ice. Though the poet thinks
both are great for destruction, yet he seems to favour the idea of the destruction of the world in a fire a
little more than in ice.
4. How will the world end twice?
Answer: The poet says that both fire and ice are destructive. Here fire stands for the heat of desire and
ice stands for hatred He thinks that our violent desires will end the world. If it survives, it will be ruined
by hatred.
5. Why does the poet say, ‘I’ve tasted of desire/I hold with those who favour fire?
Answer: The poet is familiar with the fire of passions and desires in love. He knows it quite well that
are uncontrolled desires, passions and fury lead to our destruction. Similarly, he sides with those people
who believe that ‘fire’ symbolised by unbridled passions and desires with be the real cause of the end of
the world.
6. What will be the cause of the end of the world if it has to perish twice?
Answer: This world is not eternal. Its end is certain. The poet sides with those people who think that
‘fire’ will cause the end of the existing world. But if this world has to perish twice the ‘ice’ is as strong
to bring the end of the world as ‘fire’ is. Icy reasoning devoid of human love and sympathy and hatred is
sufficient to bring an end of this world.
7. How does the poet ‘know enough of hate’? Where will this ‘hate’ lead to?
Answer: ‘Icy’ or cold reasoning can lead to rigidity, indifference and insensitiveness. This can take
away all warmth of human feelings, love and sympathy. The result can be disastrous. ‘Hatred’ born out
of cold and ‘Icy’ reasoning can lead to the destruction of the world.
8. How will ‘ice’ be as ‘great’ and ‘suffice’ for causing the end of this existing world? Do you agree
with the poet?
Answer: There is no need for ‘fire’ to destroy the world. Even ‘ice’ is sufficient and ‘strong’ enough to
cause the destruction of this world. If this world has to ‘perish twice’, then there is no need for fire to
destroy it twice. ‘Ice’ is as ‘strong’ and ‘great’ a cause that can cause the end of this world.
POETIC DEVICES
1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the long sound of /o/ in
“I hold with those who favor fire”.
2. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /f/ in
“I hold with those who favor fire”.
3. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example,
“Some say the world will end in fire” and “To say that for destruction ice, is also great”.
4. Symbolism: Symbolism is a use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities, by giving them symbolic
meanings different from their literal meanings. “Fire” is the symbol of desires and “Ice” symbolizes
hatred. Similarly, “green” and “gold” are the symbol of beauty and happiness
5. Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. For example,
“Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.
6. Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. In this poem, “Fire” and
“Ice” are capable of destruction. Therefore, the poet personifies fire and ice by giving them a mind which
is capable of destroying almost anything.
7. Enjambment: It is defined as a thought or clause that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it
moves over the next line. For example, “From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor
fire.”