Robert Frost's Use of Nature in Poetry

Robert Frost's Use of Nature in Poetry

Robert Frost, an American poet of the late 19th century, used nature in many of his writings. Frost was very observant of nature, he often used it to represent the emotion of his characters in his poetry. I will use "West-Running Brook" and "Once by the Pacific" to demonstrate Frost's use of nature in his writings.

Robert Frost was born March 26, 1874 in San Francisco ("American Writers" 150). In 1885, the dying request of his father took Frost back to Massachusetts for the burial. Since Frost couldn't afford to travel back to California, Frost remained there and began his writing. Frost led a simple life. He taught, was a New England farmer, worked in a mill, was a reporter, and wrote. He graduated as valedictorian in High School in 1892 and attended Dartmouth College, but quit shortly after he started. Two years later he sold his first work "My Butterfly: An Elegy" and later that year he married Elinor White. He attempted school again at Harvard but left before getting his degree. The next 10 years he wrote poems and worked small jobs throughout New Hampshire. In 1912 he moved his wife and four kids to England to work on poetry full time. "A Boy's Will" and "North of Boston" became a instant success in Europe and in 1915 he moved to America. "North of Boston" was reissued in America and became a best seller. Frost used the money from it to buy a farm in New Hampshire, where some of his most successful poems were written ("American Writers" 152).

Frost's poems are full of so many strong themes and richer meanings than nature, but most Frost fans prefer his modest feelings toward nature. The images he creates are so vivid and simplistic the common reader can v...

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7. Thompson, Lawrence, "Encouraging Younger Poets." Robert Frost The Years of Triumph. New York: Twayne Publishers,1967.

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8. Thompson, Lawrence. Robert Frost: The Early Years. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966.

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9. U.S. Literature. Glenview: Scott, Foresman, and Company, 1991.

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Robert Frost's Use of Nature

Thesis: Robert Frost, an American poet of the late 19th century, used nature in many of his writings. Frost was very observant of nature, he often used it too represent the emotion of his characters in his poetry.

Introduction

I. Frost's feelings on nature

A. Overview

B. Contrast with Mathew Arnold

C. Contrast with Wade Van Dore

II. "Once by the Pacific"

III "West-Running Brook"