Understanding Frost: Loyalty Beyond the Snowy Woods

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Recommended: The role of nature in modern literature

Every poet skillfully uses various forms of figurative language in order to illustrate their theme. Therefore, poetry should not be treated like a light, relaxing novel, but like a puzzle that needs to be completely broken apart and reconstructed to discover the deeper meaning. Analyzing diction, tone, and imagery are all important ways of understanding an author’s overall theme. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, which is a poem consisting four stanzas, takes place on a long path directly adjacent to a large forest on a dark, wintery evening. The speaker, who is riding horseback, pauses from his journey home to appreciate the beauty of the landscape that surrounds him. The gentle snow blanketing the land creates a very peaceful and serene tone and atmosphere for the opening stanza. However, the tone quickly changes after the little horse realizes that there are no farmhouses nearby. It eventually encourages the man to continue on the path, for he knows they have a long way to travel before they reach home. Frost utilizes
He understands that he made a lifelong vow to protect and remain faithful to his one and only wife. Yes, it is accurate that the woods are peaceful and beautiful, but nothing is more important than his family back home. The final two lines in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” are “And miles to go before I sleep.” (15-16). Robert Frost’s repetition of these words tells the reader that he will always remain loyal to his wife. He will always travel countless miles to make sure that he ends every night with his wife. Through his poem, Frost cleverly uses a man on horseback riding by a patch of woods to paint the wonderful picture of a husband learning the importance of loyalty, which is much more beautiful than the greatest snowy forest ever

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