Imagery in Robert Frost's Wind and Window Flower
After reading this poem by Robert Frost, I was left with many different ideas about this work. I believe one could take this poem in a literal sense to actually be about a window flower and the wind. I also believe, however, that this poem perhaps has a bit of a deeper meaning.
Looking first at the poem in a literal sense, the story is told of a lonely window flower that is sitting on a window sill, and the image is that the flower is looking out the window. It is cold outside, and the frost on the window has melted just enough for the flower to see out. In line 7 of the poem, the flower is compared to a caged yellow bird, to give the reader a sense that the flower feels trapped, perhaps wishing to be outside. Line 9 of the poem goes on to talk of how "he marked her through the pane". "He" refers to the wind, and how the flower could feel him through the "pane". The use of "pane" is also interesting here and made me think about the "pain" that the flower felt at not being able to be free to fly with the wind. I...
Right from the first stanza, we can clearly see that the girl emphasizes her passionate feelings towards the boy by explaining how she desires to be close to her love. Moreover, she expresses the theme of love through using a narrative of how she is prepared to trap a bird. Apparently, this symbolizes how she is prepared to trap her lover’s feelings with the desire to live together all through her life. Additionally, the young lady emphasizes on her overall beauty, her beautiful hair, and clothing which is of the finest linen which she uses to attracts her lover’s attention (Hennessy & Patricia, p.
The tile of the poem “Bird” is simple and leads the reader smoothly into the body of the poem, which is contained in a single stanza of twenty lines. Laux immediately begins to describe a red-breasted bird trying to break into her home. She writes, “She tests a low branch, violet blossoms/swaying beside her” and it is interesting to note that Laux refers to the bird as being female (Laux 212). This is the first clue that the bird is a symbol for someone, or a group of people (women). The use of a bird in poetry often signifies freedom, and Laux’s use of the female bird implies female freedom and independence. She follows with an interesting image of the bird’s “beak and breast/held back, claws raking at the pan” and this conjures a mental picture of a bird who is flying not head first into a window, but almost holding herself back even as she flies forward (Laux 212). This makes the bird seem stubborn, and follows with the theme of the independent female.
Gender was the leading cause of distress in the 1500’s: King Henry VIII wanted nothing more than to have a son, yet was “cursed” with the legacy of a sickly son, whom died before the age of 18 and two daughters, one of whom broke every convention of her gender. Queen Elizabeth I never married nor had children, yet can be considered one of England’s most successful monarchs. By choosing King James VI of Scotland as her heir, unbeknownst to her, she created the line that leads to the modern Queen of England, Elizabeth II. The question posed is then, how did Elizabeth I’s gender affect her rule?
The speaker personifies the flower by describing how the moon-lily sings: “…it is singing—very far/ but very clear and sweet” (10-11). The voice of the flower is the voice of the woman. The flower is calling out to the man. The fact that the flower has to call out to the man implies that he does not accept the love of the woman. The speaker also describes the distance between the two people. He states, “The voice is always in some other room” (12). Once again the speaker is describing distance, but the man does not try to close the distance. The reason the man does not try to close the distance is because he does not love the woman. The lily represents the female and their love. In the poem, the speaker talks about a “garden” which is a metaphor for the female’s life (13). In the garden the speaker describes the flower as “in bloom” and that the flower “stands full and/ proud” (13,14-15). This section of the poem tells the reader that the woman’s love is strong and unwavering. The speaker compares the woman’s love to a lily because the love is pure of heart and beautiful. The relationship that the poem depicts is unhealthy for the female. The woman is putting too much effort into a nonexistent
Eakins, Lara. “Elizabeth I Queen of England.” Tudorhistory.org. Lara E. Eakins. 2014. Web. 30 April 2014.
Frost uses different stylistic devices throughout this poem. He is very descriptive using things such as imagery and personification to express his intentions in the poem. Frost uses imagery when he describes the setting of the place. He tells his readers the boy is standing outside by describing the visible mountain ranges and sets the time of day by saying that the sun is setting. Frost gives his readers an image of the boy feeling pain by using contradicting words such as "rueful" and "laugh" and by using powerful words such as "outcry". He also describes the blood coming from the boy's hand as life that is spilling. To show how the boy is dying, Frost gives his readers an image of the boy breathing shallowly by saying that he is puffing his lips out with his breath.
People keep an emotional distance between one another to prevent others from getting too close to them. Robert Frost in the poem “Mending Wall” shows the reader an example of two different kinds of people. One kind of person is open to the idea of friendship and is willing to make an effort to try to dissolve any conflict, and try to get along with someone else anyway possible. Then there is the other side which is against the idea of change, someone who is closed to the idea of something new and against breaking down social barriers. Yet both sides seem to find their common ground meeting at the wall.
The birdcage represents how Mrs. Wright was trapped in her marriage, and could not escape it. The birdcage door is broken which represents her broken marriage to Mr. Wright. It also represents Mrs. Wright escaping her marriage from Mr. Wright. When the door is open it allows Mrs. Wright to became a free woman. At one point in time the cage door use to have a lock that locked the bird inside the cage. This represents how Mr. Wright kept Mrs. Wright locked up from society. Mr. Wright knew that by keeping Mrs. Wright locked up, she would never be able to tell anyone how he really acted. Mr. Wright was very cruel to his wife.
Robert Frost deliberated a intention and was determined to get it across any way that he could. He verbalized his feelings through Walls and Blockages, Descriptive words, and Seasons and Nature. The aspiration of walls in this piece is to block neighbors and assemble a better relationship. Descriptive words are used to portray a improved visual of what is designed to see. Robert Frost speaks of seasons as if it were a human.
What path would you choose? You’re out one day hiking, and you arrive at a split in the road. The left path is clear, but, the right path looks more adventurous with the overgrown plants. This similar situation is demonstrated in Robert Frost’s Allegorical poem “The Road Less Traveled.” However Frost figuratively compares the decision to a life decision. Robert Frost demonstrates that mankind cannot determine their own fate but in fact influence it in “The Road Not Taken,” by the use of an extended metaphor, imagery, and symbolism.
“Adopting one child won 't change the world: but for that child, the world will change.” (Unknown)(Buzzle.com). Adoption can take place in multiple shapes, forms, and fashions. You can adopt from a local adoption agency, or adopt from an orphanage half way around the world. You can adopt a child whose parents are no longer living, or you could adopt from a young mother who is not ready to raise a child. You can adopt one child who has touched your heart from an orphanage in Uganda, or a set of triplets being moved around from house to house in foster care. There are still further motivations and reasons for adopting. What if you and your spouse are unable to become pregnant? The desire to be parents does not diminish with the lack of
Through the open window she sees many other symbols furthering the feelings of goodness in the reader. She sees the tops of trees that "were all quiver with the new spring life" symbolizing a new life to come, something new happening in her life. The setting of a "delicious breath of rain" in the air refers to the calmness after a storm when the sun comes back out. Kate Chopin is using this to refer to the death of Mrs. Mallards' husband and the new joyous life she may now lead that she is free of him. Also to be heard outside are the singing of birds and the notes of a distant song someone was singing, symbolizing an oncoming feeling of wellness, a build up to her realization that she is now free of the tyrannical rule of her husband.
Frost's poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", seems to be a simple story of a man and his horse. It portrays beautiful imagery with an enjoyable rhythm and rhyming scheme. Taking a second look at this poem may bring a more complex curiosity about what Frost is exactly trying to achieve through his words. It is apparent in the breakdown of the poem that new meanings and revelations are to be found. This is seen by relating almost all of his statements to each stanza and line. Robert Frost's aesthetic philosophy about "Stopping by Woods" gives a more penetrating view into his work.
Frost uses nature as his scene, natural processes and features, such as the snow in Frost's work "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" are used to signify events in human lives and draw conclusions about human nature.(http://www. litertureclassics.com/authors/Frost/). In this poem the rider is returning home one late evening, but is tempted by the beauty of the snow filled woods, perhaps evil lurks behind the branches. The mystery continues with the contrast between the light of the village and the darkness of the woods. This mystery is an allure to humans, as we try to conquer nature, but it still has the power to drag us behind its change...
...ach other “Frosts poetry has a very vast range, from extremely long detailed poems, like ‘after apple picking” and “a servant to servants” or relatively short like, “A soldier” or “A question” (which is only four lines). Each of his poems encompasses something different but all have a strong sense of sameness when it comes to the message he wants to communicate to us. A brook in the city represents to a great extent, Frosts overall style and view on poetry. The poem has a rhyme scheme, he uses a vast amount of figures of speech and his language is colloquial, this goes for most, if not all of Frosts poetry. The poem also encompasses his thoughts and views on mankind and their response to the universe. Frost wants us as the reader to comprehend his message and find some sort of wisdom in it. If we do, then Frost has accomplished what he set out to do with his poetry.