Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California on the
26th of March 1874 to Isabelle Moodie and William
Prescott Frost Jr. Both his parents were teachers and
journalists. Robert also had a younger sister, Jeanie
Florence. In his early ages of life his lifestyle was poor, his
father William had started gambling and became an
alcoholic. These bad habits had left his family in a
dreadful financial state. William had died in 1885. After his
death, the remainder of the family had traveled across the
country to New England town. Isabelle began teaching
again to support her family.
Having parents both as teachers, Robert was quickly
exposed to books, and had earned an interest in the
works of William Shakespeare, poet Robert Burns and
William Wordsworth.
Robert had enrolled at Lawrence High School and had
began writing his first poem. “La Noche Triste.” In 1890,
which was published in the school’s paper.
Robert was an excellent student, he had succeeded in
many subjects, played high school football, and graduated
as the head of his class.
In 1892 he entered Dartmouth, the Ivy League College in
Hanover, New Hampshire but had no interest in the
atmosphere of campus life. He then took on a series of
jobs including teaching and working in a mill, while
continuing to write poetry.
On 19 December 1895 Robert married Elinor Miriam
White, his sweetheart and crush he had developed
feelings for in his past school years. They would have six
kids together.
In 1897 Frost entered Harvard University in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, but shortly later he had to leave in 1899
before finishing his degree due to illness.
In 1912 his first poetry collection, A Boy’s Will was
published in England. Robert’s work was well received
and became friends with other poets, which lead to
supporters that helped promote his work.
Many of Robert Frost’s poetry themes consist of Nature,
Communication, Everyday Life, and Isolation of the
individual.
In frost’s work, he uses nature as a central character in all
his poems. Nature is not just a background for poetry but
it is also a dramatic struggle that occur within the natural
world. He uses a lot of imagery and symbolism in his
writing; he also uses metaphors to make connections
between everyday things. The message in his poems are
interesting simply because he doesn’t usually say
anything directly but through using figurative language he
gets his ideas across.
Robert died on the 29th of January 1963 in Boston,
Massachusetts due to a blood clot that got to his lungs.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Style
Iambic pentameter
One short syllabel followed by one long one five sets in a
row.
Some SAY..|..the WORLD,..|..will END..|..in FIRE
Theme
Destruction, Isolation, Mortality
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Metaphors
Fire: desire, passion, energy, excitement
Ice: hate, indifference, isolation
Alternative Analysis
The end of the world: Science vs. Religion
Satire
Frost makes light of the subject of the apocolypse
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Alliteration
Some say (line 1 and 2)
world will (line 1)
with who (line 4)
favor fire (line 4)
Rhyme Scheme
End Rhyme Scheme
Ire – fire, desire
Ice – ice, twice, suffice
Ate – hate, great
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
Style
Written in terza rima form.
Written in near perfect iambic pentameter (each line has
10 syllables).
Shares similarities with a sonnet (14 lines)
Theme
Isolation, Depression,
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
Metaphor
Poem is a metaphor of isolation and depression.
Night – Depression
Personification
Luminary clock: the moon. “neither wrong no right”.
Alliteration
I have – (lines 1-5)
Stood still, stopped, sound (line 7)