Level: BA/BBS | Lesson 49 Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
(Robert Frost, USA 1874-1963)
Word Meanings
woods = jungles
queer = strange
shake = tremble
downy = soft
flake = pieces of snow
Summary
This poem was composed by Robert Frost. The speaker has topped his horse to see the scenic beauty of the jungle. He is on the horse. The snow is falling over the woods. The horse looks puzzled when the man stopped the horse suddenly. There is not any farm house. The horse is stopped between the woods and frozen lake in the darkest evening. By shaking the harness bells, the horse asks if there is any wrong. The speaker hears the pleasant sound of wind and flake. The speaker finds the jungle lovely, dark and deep but he says that he has to go miles ahead before he sleeps, i.e. He has to go away from that place. He has to complete the journey so he can’t stay there any longer.
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Four Levels of Interpretation
Literal Comprehension
This poem was composed by Robert Frost. The speaker has topped his horse to see the scenic beauty of the jungle. He is on the horse. The snow is falling over the woods. The horse looks puzzled when the man stopped the horse suddenly. There is not any farm house. The horse is stopped between the woods and frozen lake in the darkest evening. By shaking the harness bells, the horse asks if there is any wrong. The speaker hears the pleasant sound of wind and flake. The speaker finds the jungle lovely, dark and deep but he says that he has to go miles ahead before he sleeps, i.e. He has to go away from that place. He has to complete the journey so he can’t stay there any longer.
Interpretation
The poet tries to show the conflict between responsibility and temptation. He says that the journey of life is full of obligations and responsibilities. We have obligations to our family, friends and society. If we fail to fulfill them, we fail in our life. There are distractions all around and the before we die. In this poem mile to go before I sleep indicates he has to do much before he dies.
Critical Thinking
Every third line of each stanza rhymes with other three lines of the following stanzas. The poet is successful to evoke emotions in our mind.
Assimilation
After reading this poem I learnt that we human beings have problems, promises and responsibility that should be solved gradually. I also learnt that we have been solved gradually. I also learnt that we have shorter life but we need to do lots of work before we die.
Possible Questions
1. Summarize the plot to ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.’
2. How does the sense of duty get victory upon sense of beauty in the poem?
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