The Road not taken is a beautiful poem by Robert Frost, that revolves around the dilemma of which path to follow; the most taken or to follow the grassy path, to be able to follow your own heart.
Poet wishes to follow the grassy one and will have a sigh of relief if he does not fail in what he chooses. It tells us to make decisions that are taken by fewer people. We think that if we fail to seek attainment we could get a chance to start it all again.
Therefore, the poem the road not taken focuses on making wise and life-changing decisions driven by our hope and ambitions.
You can also watch the video on our channel EDUGOGUE to get a better understanding of the poem. We have explained the poem The Road Not Taken in two parts.
The Road Not Taken: Poet’s Introduction
Robert lee frost (1874-1963) is an American poet, born in the USA. He was considered “the voice of America”. His poems bring delight and even focus on wisdom.
He himself was in a state of dilemma as to which path to follow. In the end, he made a choice by following the less traveled one and kept the other road for someday.
It seems he wants to express doubt while making revolutionary decisions. He believes a small indomitable step will make a great difference.
Central Idea: The Road Not Taken
The road not taken is a poem focussing on the dilemma of every individual’s life about making choices. It is a beautiful poem about a journey where the poet met at a junction and was left in a state of doubt, about which road to follow. It symbolizes our life and feelings and gives an important message to make a choice that will leave an impact on our future, our destination.
One bad decision would make us remorseful our whole life and we cannot start afresh.
Rhyme scene abaab (All stanzas)
Poem’s analysis: The Road Not Taken
Stanza 1
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
The poet was standing before the rerouting of the two roads in the forest full of droopy yellow leaves of the autumn season and he was sorry because he could not travel with them.
He stood there for a long looking as far as he could deciding which path to follow. Before choosing, he wanted to know how it was.
Will it be fruitful for him? It happens exactly in our lives where we are in a fix among our so many choices and we decide them on so many parameters.
Important meanings:
- Diverged: separated
- Yellowwood: a forest full of decomposing leaves
- Undergrowth: dense growth of plants and bushes
Stanza2
Then took the other, 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.
After looking at the path for a long time, he decided and started to walk on another path which was grassy and less traveled expecting both are equal and good.
Not many people had chosen this and walked for distance and realized both are worn out in the same manner. Even in our life, we make these kinds of choices that reap the same kind of benefits, hurdles, and problems attached to them. And we have to face the music.
Important meanings
- Fair: As good as the other one
- Claim: A better alternative
- Grassy: Not much used
- Wanted wear: Unused
Stanza3
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.
Both the roads are in front of the poet to decide that morning. No leaf had been crushed black; both lay in the same condition.
He decided to go back on some other day though he knew that the way is skeptical and he is in a fix if he would be able to travel again on this road.
Exactly happens with our lives. We should also keep moving believing we don’t have a chance to come back for the left option.
Important Meanings
- Trodden: used over and over again
Stanza 4
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 travelled by, And that has made all the difference.
After moving ahead in time, the poet is talking about many years. He says that he will be talking about his decision with a sigh- exactly don’t know which kind of sigh it is. He actually doesn’t know will he be happy later on or not.
Again he repeats the line- Two roads in a wood replacing yellow with the word I’. The hesitation has come to an end and next the poet mentions something important.
The poet concludes by saying he chose the less traveled road and that has made difference. Now, ‘DIFFERENCE’ doesn’t mean success or failure. He only knows that the ‘CHOICE’ was important.
Important Meanings
- Ages and ages hence: many years
- Sigh: deep breath
- Hence: (here) in the future.
Poetic devices
- Alliteration-Because it was grassy and wanted wear.
- Repetition-Yet knowing how way leads on to way; Somewhere ages and ages hence.
You can watch the video on Figure of speech for a better understanding of the concept.
Conclusion
In this article, we have gone through a detailed synopsis of the poem “The Road not taken” of class 9th. We came to know about life and the choices and how the poet made a choice that has made difference. Similarly, every being faces the same kind of a dilemma as he or she comes across certain choices and with that attached the same benefits as well as hurdles to cross over them. Everyone knows that they won’t be getting a chance to start afresh to take the leftover option.
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