THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

- ROBERT FROST

ABOUT THE POET

Robert Lee Frost (March 26,1874 – January 29, 1963) was anAmerican poet. His work wasinitially published in Englandbefore it was published inAmerica. Frost was honouredfrequently during his lifetimeand is the only poet to receivefour Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry .

On July 22, 1961, Frost wasnamed Poet Laureate ofVermont . Frost was nominatedfor the Nobel Prize inLiterature 31 times.

Poem’s Title

• ‘The Road’ is the symbol of the choice made by us in life. Many times we regret the choice we make but what is done once cannot be undone.

• The word ‘road’ not only means ‘way’ , it also means ‘journey’ or a ‘stage of journey’. Here ‘road’ does not signify any ordinary road, but functions a metaphor of a vital decision in our life.

SUMMARY

• In the poem - ‘The Road Not Taken’, the road symbolizes our life. The poet says that the path that we don’t choose in our life is ‘the road not taken’. He describes his feelings about that choice that he had left in the past. The path which we have chosen, decides our future, our destination. The important message that the poet wants to give is that the choice that we make has an impact on our future and if we make a wrong choice, we regret it but cannot go back on it. So, we must be wise while making choices.

Brainstorming Activity

• Sometimes the choices we make have far reaching consequences. Think about any four choices you make on daily basis, and the importance of these choices.

3. ______________ 4. ______________

2.______________1. _______________

Complete the web chart showing choices and decisions you may have to make in the next few years and the

factors that affect these choices.

DETERMINING FACTORS

CHOICES

INTERESTS

PARENTSFRIENDS

INTROSPECTHave you made choices that are acceptable and less risky ?

– Yes

– No

Are you going to choose a career of your choice?

– Yes

– No

Do you think decisions matter a lot with future perspective?

– Yes

– No

First StanzaTwo roads diverged

in a yellow wood,And sorry I could

not travel bothAnd be one

traveller, long Istood

And looked down oneas far as I could

To where it bent inthe undergrowth;

Gist of Stanza 1

The poet was standing at a junction wherethe road forked into two. It was a forestfull of yellow leaves due to the autumnseason. As the poet could not travel boththe roads, he stood there for a long time,deciding which road to take. He was indilemma. He looked down at one road as faras he could and to where it bent anddisappeared in the wild bushes.

Second Stanza

Then took theother, as just asfair

And having perhapsthe better claim,

Because it wasgrassy and wantedwear;

Though as for that,the passing there

Had worn themreally about thesame,

Gist of Stanza 2

After viewing both the roads, the poet decided to take the second road because it was grassy and had not been travelled by many. The poet was adventurous and wanted to travel on the road which had not worn off. Moreover, he felt that it had better claim. As far as the passing of traveller was concerned, both the roads had worn in the same manner.

Stanza 3

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.

Gist of Stanza 3

Both the road lay in the same condition in front of the poet that morning. No leaf had been crushed black as no one had passed from both the roads that morning and both of them were covered with leaves. The poet decided to go back on the first road some other road although he knew that one way leads to another and had the doubts if he would ever be able to travel on the first road.

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.

Stanza 4

The poet was not sure about the success of his choice. Hethought he might regret about his decision of travelling onthe second road and he might tell about it with a sigh. It’svery difficult to pass the judgement at the spur ofmoment. After many years perhaps he will be telling with asigh about his choice. Two roads diverged in the wood andhe selected the one which was less travelled by and hischoice has made all the difference.

Multiple choice questions based on

the Poem

The poet stood at the intersection of?

A wood painted yellow

An autumn forest

Trees with infected flowers

Woods which is filled with red leaves

The poet regrets that

He could not travel on both the roads simultaneously

He has become old

The roads are covered with thick undergrowth

The paths are not clearly visible

The poet finally chooses the road

Which has been less travelled by

Which looks more attractive

Which very few have trod on

Which is less grassy

Pick out the lines which says that the two roads looked similar that

morning

‘oh, I kept the first for another day.’

‘yet knowing how way leads on to way’

‘I doubted I should ever come back’

‘ both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black.’

The road in the poem stands for

A long tedious journey

Challenges

Choices in life

Forward movement

Exercise for practice

• What is the message/ theme of the poem ‘The Road not Taken’?

• How does one way lead to another? Is it easier to come back to the path we have left for another day?

• Describe the significance of good decisions. In what manner do they support life?

Renu RawatTGT EngAECS 5, Mumbai