Analysis of The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost

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One of Robert Frost’s most celebrated poems “The Road Not Taken”, makes anyone who reads the poem wondering what if. The symbolism of the fork in the road has been the topic of many interpretations, however, many claim that this poem symbolizes the never-ending curiosity that exist within human nature, making choices in life not knowing the how it will affect one’s life. Through the course of time, one may come to consider the selection of the road they've chosen, contemplate on the potential opportunities gained or lost through such choices, and wonder about "The Road Not Taken.”
Numerous speculations have been made about the poem, but according to Arti Agarwa Frost cites himself that the inspiration behind the poem came from his old friend Edward Thomas, a Welsh poet. It has been stated by Frost that Thomas was never satisfied with the choices he made, and when the two would walk the countryside in England, Thomas would always regret the path he had chosen for them. “The Road Not Taken” is a playful mocking of not only Thomas’ relentless regrets, but also the regrets found in human nature.
During the poem, the speaker recalls approaching “two roads diverged in a yellow wood”. The symbolism behind the two roads is fairly simple to comprehend, it is an early autumn morning and the roads symbolize the choices that one comes to during their journey of life. Mindful that only one path can be traveled, the speaker is wary with his decision “long I stood | And looked down one as far as I could | To where it bent in the undergrowth” (lines 3-5). This is where most people’s opinions are formed. For example, an online article written by William Pritchard, states that the speaker’s decision upon choosing a road was due to an instinct, and...

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...dering about “The Road Not Taken.”

Works Cited

Agarwa, Arti. "The Road Not Taken- Inspirational Stories." The Road Not Taken- Inspirational Stories. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Andrews, Terry L. “The Road Not Taken.” Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition (2002): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 8 Mar. 2011
Ballantine, Leslie F. "CPP - The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost." CPP - The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Bouchard, Jennifer. “Literary Contexts in Poetry: Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Literary Contexts in Poetry: Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ (2008): Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 8 Mar. 2011.
Grimes, Linda S. "Robert Frost's Tricky Poem "The Road Not Taken"" Suite. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
Pritchard, William H. "On "The Road Not Taken"" On "The Road Not Taken" N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014

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