Ghost House Commentary

The poem “Ghost House” by Robert Frost is a work that highlights the speaker, and possibly the author’s feelings towards death. This is achieved through the use of an eerie mood via word choice, implications of death, and imagery of a happy, yet ghostly, couple. Thus, the poem progresses in moods from first ominous, then shocking, and finally a slightly perturbing contentedness.

In the first half of “Ghost House”, word choice is used to create a somber, unsettling tone. Even innocent words take on a bleak undertone. Phrases such as “daylight falls” exemplify this with the anxiousness that is evoked with the word “falls.” Even the word “copse” begins to sound like “corpse.” This word play is important in solidifying a foreboding mood.

In particular, the use of the phrase “daylight falls” is interesting. Typically, daylight, or light in general, is viewed as a symbol of happiness and life. Frost shows his mastery of poetry when he pairs it with the word “falls,” and so the mood is darkened despite the positive connotations with light. Also, normally light is described as casting upon or brightening a place, which makes the use of “falls” slightly surprising, which adds to the feeling of uneasiness in that line. This is not the only example of eerie language acting as a dynamic in “Ghost House”.

Although this may sound like conjecture, “copse” sounding similar to “corpse” does not seem to be a coincidence. Frost is the type of poet to use subliminal messages with his word choice, and this word play illustrates that. The entire first half of the poem has a ghostly feel to it, so it is natural for the reader to read the seemingly innocent word “copse” and instantly think of a divergently more sinister, but alike in pho...

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...se around them, even in death. This gives the impression that the author feels that death is what you make of it, so though many view it as depressing and empty, you can be fulfilled in death if you wish.

The last two lines of “Ghost House” are the most conclusive in the speaker’s view on death. They read “And yet, in view of how many things, As sweet companions as might be had.” This again shows that people can be satisfied in death. Having the poem end on a positive note is somewhat surprising, due to the previous more macabre tones.

Frost’s poem leaves the reader enlightened on the speaker’s outlook on death. “Ghost House” is an evolution through both the reader’s mood and the speaker’s tone surrounding death. Frost accomplishes this in his signature style and voice with clever word choice, from the morbid beginning to the accepting and almost willing end.