Monday, February 4, 2013

What does the road symbolize in "The Road Not Taken"? What about the woods?

The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost, is potentially the most famous English-language poem. In the poem, a narrator is faced with two different paths in the woods. He takes one of these paths, and foresees himself claiming that this choice "made all the difference." The narrator sees his choice as significant whether or not the choice actually made a difference. In the poem, the roads and the wood are prominently featured, and these images are crucial to the poem's success.


The roads can symbolize a direction or path in life. Pursuing a career as a doctor could be seen as a "road." Studying literature could also be seen as a "road." In this poem, the narrator decides to take a road that has not been trodden by as many people. Some paths, like being a doctor or a lawyer, could be seen as well-trodden paths. Whereas others, like those in the creative fields, are harder to decipher. These would be less-trodden paths. 


The woods can symbolize many things, but they may best symbolize hardship. In this poem, the well-trodden path is often seen as less wooded, meaning it is an easier path to take. The less-trodden path is viewed as more difficult to travel. For instance, one could say a creative "road" is harder because there are more opportunities to fail. 

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