Here’s a detailed analysis of Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’; it’s tailored towards students taking the CIE / Cambridge A-Level syllabus but will be useful for anyone who’s working on understanding the poem at any level.
Great for revision, missed lessons, boosting analytic...
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
STORY/SUMMARY
Stanza 1
The speaker comes across a diverging path in a wood and is unsure which one to
take; they wish they could attempt both. They took time to look down both paths, the
first of which is shrouded by undergrowth/weeds.
Stanza 2
The other path seems clearer with a grassy look that the speaker thinks needs to be
explored, but equally it looks just as worn as the first road.
, Stanza 3
It is revealed that it is morning, and the speaker notes that both paths have been
untouched for a while, with no marks or footprints. They decide to keep the first path
to walk on another day, though they are unsure they will return to the crossroads.
Stanza 4
The speaker then states that with the knowledge of hindsight they will be sighing
(perhaps for regret, or even in keeping with remembering the good times). The
opening phrase is repeated as if the story is being retold and it is revealed that the
second path, which was ventured less by others, was the one chosen. This is
ambiguously stated as making ‘all the difference’.
SPEAKER/ VOICE
Frost / the speaker chooses the ‘less traveled’ path, representative of the one which
people do not usually take, we can perhaps interpret this to be his choice to become a
poet - fearlessness / takes courage - being a pioneer of sorts / bold / daring, likely to
leave a mark.
ATTITUDES
● Taking the ‘less travelled’ road can be a good option sometimes, more
refreshing or individual/personal - ‘Because it was grassy and wanted wear; >
it’s grassy so hasn’t been worn down ‘wants wear’ - looks like it wants
somebody to wear it down.
● One should take their time before coming to a decision; > ‘long I stood’ - it
appears that patience is a virtue and important to make the right decision.
● The inaction is the only negative option = the roads are very similar and not
significantly different, so as long as you commit to your choice, then it is the
right one for you ‘about the same’ ‘equally lay’ ‘made all the difference’.
● It often is not possible to come back to the same decision, (or to rewind time
‘way leads on to way’), so choose wisely and take the decision seriously - ‘I
doubted if I should ever come back’.
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