A table of all the poems in the Heaney and Frost anthology for AS Unit 1. For each poem there is a summary and analysis of all the literary methods and techniques used, including form, rhythm, imagery, tone and even historical context for the specific poem. I used this to revise for my A-Level and ...
Into My Own – Robert Frost
Context / This poem is about a child’s journey into adulthood and independence,
content and traces the development of a solitary youth as he explores and
questions the world around him and embarks on both a physical and
mental journey to deepen his beliefs. The poet uses the metaphor of
trees and a forest to represent the journey he is about to take to seek
self-awareness. It deals with innocence, and the loss of innocence,
escape and self-knowledge through nature. This being the first poem of
Frost’s published collection ‘A Boy’s Will’ in 1913, may also represent
his poetic growth as well as his personal growth.
Frost employs settings from his rural life in the early 20th century in New
England
Form Shakespearean sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a rhyming
couplet. The use of a sonnet shows Frost’s respect for poetic tradition,
and may show the love of the journey he is about to take and conveys
his excitement. 'The quatrains subsume the couplets by turning each
stanza into a syntactical unit. In essence this makes each reliant upon
the other and negates any sense of dominance. Hence, by blending the
two stanza forms, he has created a new one, at least within the context
of the sonnet.'
It is written in iambic pentameter, which is the closest in rhythm to
natural speech.
Voice First person – creates an intimate tone so lets the reader gain insight
into the thoughts of the narrator, and lets the reader imagine the
journey and motives for going on the journey on a personal level.
Rhyme The poem has the rigid and consistent rhyme scheme of
scheme / AABBCCDDEEFFGG, which enhances the poem; we also see the lyrical
rhythm voice of Frost introduced through the rhyme scheme.
“All poetry is a reproduction of the tones of actual speech.” ~ Frost
Tone / Mysterious tone “dark” “scarcely” – represents the unknown future as
mood the writer embarks on this journey to seek self-awareness
Tone of confidence/assurance through the repetition of “I should”
Confident/bold tone through use of sibilance “vastness I should steal
away” – conveys the writers confident pursual of his journey to find
possibilities and deepen his thoughts and beliefs
Tone of determination “I do not see why I should e’er turn back” –
abrupt language shows how he thinks his journey will be successful
Tone of assurance “they would not find me changed form him they
knew” – writer uses this tone to assure his family he wont change when
he sees them again but will have deepened and developed his beliefs
and have become a better version of himself
Imagery Mysterious imagery “dark trees” – symbolises unknown future and how
uncertain the writer is about his future journey, emphasized through
the use of the adjective “dark” representing the unknown and
mysterious element of the future
Dark and depressing imagery “merest mask of gloom” – metaphor
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