The Road Not Taken
Analysis of “The Road Not Taken” The poem “The Road Not Taken” was written by the famous poet Robert Frost. Robert Frost was born on March 26, 1874, to journalist William Prescott Frost Jr., and Isabelle Moodie. He moved around the United States, and eventually to Great Britain. He died January 29, 1963. He wrote the poem “The Road Not Taken” in 1916. At the time that the poem was written, Robert Frost was living in a little cottage in Britain. He received inspiration for the poem from the rural landscape of Gloucestershire, England. Another poet lived nearby Frost, a man by the name Edward Thomas. Frost and Thomas began walking together, talking about poetry, botany and the surrounding scenery where they were living. Thomas often wished that they had taken an alternate trail or road to view its plants. In response, Frost began writing "The Road Not Taken," but he did not finish it until he left Britain for the United States with his family. Thomas and Frost continued talking until Thomas died fighting in World War I. The “yellow wood” described in “The Road Not Taken” could be anywhere, but it is likely that Frost was thinking about Gloucestershire. It is a very simple poem, but it has a meaning that is far, far deeper. There are many messages in this poem. The main or predominant one is that about Robert Frost taking the road less taken, or making a decision that others don’t commonly take. The “Road Not Taken” could be many things, but I believe that it is a symbol for the path of becoming a poet, for not many people do this. He tried the other road, but he went back to the one he tried first. He states, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” He took the path of becoming a poet, and it changed his life significantly. Then again, it may also be about a man who is sad that he only has one life and can make only one decision that will forever keep him from the other path. He cannot take both paths, and he
Cited: "The Road Not Taken: A Study Guide." The Road Not Taken: A Study Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2013 "Poetry Out Loud : The Road Not Taken." Poetry Out Loud : The Road Not Taken. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2013 "Kelly9review - Road Not Taken." Kelly9review - Road Not Taken. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2013.