Acquainted With the Night
By Robert Frost
Alexis Hartman
Andrew Samstag
Jessica Smith
Literary Devices
• Repetition: “I have” and “I have been one
acquainted with the night”
• Personification: “saddest city lane” and the
clock “proclaiming” the time
• Alliteration: “Stood still and stopped the
sound”
• Symbolism throughout entire poem
– Watchman is conscience
Theme
• Guilt and depression
• Changing the norm of his everyday life to cope
with that depression over a long period of
time
• Critics say that it is about exploring
new techniques of poetry
Rhyme Scheme
• End/Terminal Rhyme:
ABA
BCB
CDC
DAD
AA
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,
O luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
Speaker
• Written in First person
• From the perspective of a person with
depression caused from guilt.
• Hurt loved ones in the past
– Possibly referring to father
Pictures
Robert Frost
• 1874-1963
• Lived in San Francisco but then moved to
Massachusetts when his father died
– Depression could have resulted from death of
father
• Worked on a rural farm but then moved into a
city where he worked in a factory
• He did not enjoy that period of time
• City served as inspiration for symbolism
Acquainted with the Night
•
•
•
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.
Walking out in the rain (and unable to escape it)
symbolizes sadness and going in and out of
depression; melancholy tone
shows he is walking in darkness which symbolizes
depression
The speaker does not wish to confront his
conscience, knowing he was in the wrong.
Could represent his
Father crying out
Father is in heaven before they were able to
patch up relationship
Shows how he regrets his father’s timing of death
Repetition showing how the speaker is still in his
depression; developing melancholy tone