poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

hmmm...it is interesting that most interpret this poem to be about death, suicide, or heavn. Robert Frost, himself, states that this is simply a poem about a man going to the country one evening and seeing the woods. but, if we are going to speculate about all the different things this poem could be about, then why not make it something positive? like comparing it to santa clause? i mean...it is winter, snowing, santa knows who owns every house, reindeer are often referred to as little horses in works of literature, it is winter equinox-the darkest evening of the year-which just happens to be christmas eve, he has miles to go before he sleeps and promises to keep. now, if you didnt know better by all the other examples of Frosts poems, could you see yourself making this same arguement?? logically?? but theretofore, this poem is simply about a man taking a ride into the woods on one snowy evening and noticing the natural beauty of the woods while he still has things he needs to get done....thats all!

I see a lot of outright rejection/acceptance of the suicide theory. Let me clear myself up at once. I don't think it's about suicide at all, I think it could be about the contemplation of suicide. William Perrine wrote an essay in which he said all acceptable meanings of a poem must fall under its "cone of interpretation"--context. In this poem, I think any interpretation that allows for the woods to be something seductive and tempting, but the need to fufil obligations over-ride that temptation works. That's exactly what contemplation of suicide is, thinking about the possiblity, but deciding that your obligations to the world are more important than giving in to the urge. But that's not the only interpreations, it's just one of the interpretations that works.

Well, I've read the many comments over the years, most about what the poem means to them. I've adored Robert Frost since I was a child.

Now, I'm not saying that suicide is what the poem was about, but some people don't realize his sister went insane and two.. I think of his children died young. Just think about that.

Now then again, I may just be a pessimist.

Robert Frost is a brilliant poet anyways, in more ways then one, and people interpret his poems in different ways. There is no right or wrong.

I agree with Shirley Creed from the first page of responses. Frost is caught between two worlds, two ways of living: live for himself, or live of, by, and for others. He says these are someone else's woods, but he won't be seen so he can steal a few moments here to watch the snow. This is Frost acting for himself, for his own wishes and desires. The night woods, being deep and dark, but also with the element of peace from the softly falling snow, is his own soul, where if he follows it, he will find peace, rest, and contentment.

The horse, an animal that lives to serve it's master, the human rider, knows only duty, and stopping here seems odd to it. But in the end, Frost realizes this is not yet the time for peace and relaxation, for living by his own will. He has "promises to keep" and must continue on before he can "sleep" or rest from the world of obligation.

I have loved Robert Frost's poem "stopping by the woods on a snowy evening" all my life. I first read it about twelve years back, when I was in school. It is an awesome poem, and can still bring the tears to my eyes... The best part for me, is not the last line, it is the first para, when he makes the reader feel the wisha-wisha of the trees in the woods, the downy snowflakes and the plump farm horse.

No has touched on Dante yet, that's wierd. The rhying scheme of "Stopping by Woods" is interlocking just like the Divine Comedy and there is also a "dark wood" in the first canto of the Inferno. Dante wrote about Redemption for himself, and I think, in a way, Frost is doing the same thing, just in a more internal way.

It is a poem about life.

cheers people helping me out with my a level homework. never looked at it as death and its taught to us that its about a normal travellor. what aload of bollocks, hopefully ill get my a. tar

You people need to research. That's what you get for trying to be postmodern in thought. Robert Frost himself said that the poem was about what he wrote about. Nothing more. I hate postmodernism.

This one single work by Frost inspired me to become a poet.This poem by my personal favorite of all time poet,put me beside him in that sleigh.I felt his every thought,the nip of cold wind.The steam from my mouth and Frost's,and the horses nostrils as well.I visualize the pony shaking his head,looking back at me to see why we stopped.The silent snow covered clearing and the trees of the woods.I get deeper lost in this write each time I reread it.It inspired me to write poetry.