Writing Seminar 120: Nature Poetry
Sheldon W. Liebman was a long-time literary scholar and critic known for his work in American
literature, with a particular focus on poetry. He has written many essays about the works of Robert Frost,
exploring many themes of nature, skepticism, and the philosophical dimensions of Frost’s poetry. In the
introduction to his essay “Robert Frost, Romantic,” Sheldon Liebman reports overwhelming majority of
[Robert] Frost’s critics believe that ... Frost was not a [R]omantic. Like Lawrence Thompson are willing
to grant that he grew up in the [R]omantic tradition. Yet, again like Thompson ..., they insist that Frost
either greatly modified his [R]omanticism or abandoned it altogether.... Most of Frost’s critics see the poet
as a skeptic who regarded nature as an antagonist, stoicism as a moral ideal, and visionary experience as
an illusion. To many of them, Frost saw the external world as indifferent, alien, hostile. These critics often
portray Frost as a skeptic who villainized nature and saw moral stoicism, rather than Romantic
transcendence as central to the world view.
However, I take issue with these interpretations, as they overlook the discreet Romantic elements in
Frost’s work. These critics may not fully appreciate how Forst’s poetry embodies the Romantic idea of a
metaphysical connection between humanity and nature- one that fosters deep human reflection and
spiritual insight. The critics are limited to thinking that Romanticism must be about glorifying nature, but
it does not have to be like that. Romanticism is also about exploring the complexities of human
interaction with it. Through Frost’s works "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “Birches”, and
William Wordsworth’s I Wondered Lonely as a Could,” I argue that Frost has a deep connection to
Romantic themes, establishing romantic ideals within his poems in his distinctive way, exploring the
nuances of human experience and the natural world without conforming to the more idealized vision of
nature traditionally associated with Romanticism.
To start, what is Romanticism? Romanticism, particularly defined by classic poets such as Ralph Waldo
Emerson, places a significant emphasis on the connection between man and nature regarding spirituality.
In his essay, Emerson describes. “The lover of nature is his whose inward and outward senses are still
truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood”
(Emerson, “Nature”). What Emerson means by this is that true appreciation of nature requires an
alignment of one’s inner self with their external world. Additionally, the Oxford English Dictionary
defines “nature” as “the power or force which is fundamental to the physical and mental functioning of a
human being.” This suggests that our existence is deeply intertwined with the forces of nature. Nature
serves not only as a physical environment but as a mental catalyst for self-discovery to remind us of our
duties. Frost’s work engages with this definition of nature, detaching him from the notion of using Nature
as an antagonist, falling into the framework of a romantic.
In Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Frost evokes the Romantic theme of contemplation within
nature. The speaker pauses and observes the “woods fill up with snow,” and is drawn into their beauty,
describing them as “lovely, dark, and deep.” The speaker’s pause in the middle of his journey showcases
the yearning for a momentary escape from the demands of life and immersion in nature as it offers
solitude and reflection. The woods represent a space for reflection, much like the natural landscapes in
Romantic poetry. Yet, despite the allure of the woods, the speaker is reminded of the responsibilities
awaiting him by the horse giving “his harness bells a shake” and ultimately chooses to return to his
human duties where he has “promise[s] to keep.” The horse’s role in the poem highlights the speaker’s
inner conflict as he balances his responsibilities with his desire to be part of the natural world. The tension
between wanting to immerse in nature’s grace and the pull of everyday life mirrors the Romantic conflict
between the human need for spiritual reflection and the demands of life. Frost captures the essence of
Romanticism, not as an outright glorification of nature, but as an exploration of the complexities inherent
in the human experience. The repetition of the final line,” And miles to go before I sleep,” and the overall
rhyme scheme of AABB in each stanza suggests an ongoing journey for meaning and fulfillment, a
continual process by nature.
Second Body
In “Birches,” Frost further explores the complexities of human interaction with nature,
emphasizing the tension between adult responsibilities and a yearning for childhood innocence. The poem
begins with the speaker looking at “birches bend to left and right” and likes to think “some boy’s been
swinging them” when in fact have bent by ice storms. Yet he prefers his vision of a boy climbing up a
birch tree. The speaker wants “to get away from the earth awhile.” The imagery of swinging on the tree
brings forth a sense of nostalgia for freedom and playfulness as an escape, a return to a simpler life of
innocence and purity. Yet, as the speaker climbs higher into the treetops, the weight of “Truth broke in.”
The line “Truth broke in” is capitalized and personalized, highlighting the contrast between the burdens of
reality and the speaker’s nostalgic desire for the carefree joy of childhood but must return to Earth. This
acknowledgment is emphasized in the line, “Earth’s the right place for love, “suggesting that life's
imperfections are essential to the human experience. The speaker longs for a moment of transcendence
but understands that complete detachment is not practical, reflecting the romantic vision of nature as a
space for contemplation while grounding the experience in the recognition of life’s challenges.
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Third Paragraph(Daffodils)
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Conclusion