When reading poetry by Robert Frost the theme of nature is strongly present and persistent. Robert Frost uses the world around him to create a mystic feeling to his writings, almost giving the reader a sense of nostalgia. The influence of nature in Frosts works creates a palette to paint a picture filled with symbolism for the reader to interpret. The nature in the poems makes the poem an intimate piece in which most readers can identify with or imagine in some way because of the intense imagery used.
In the analysis of Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken, Nothing Gold Can Stay, and Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening we can pick out specific examples to illustrate Frosts overall use of nature. In the first stanza of Robert Frosts Stopping by the Woods on A Snowy Evening we find the speaker reflecting on the beauty of a wooded area with snow falling. Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. (p. 923)
You can feel the speakers awe and reflective peace when looking into the woods that night. He doesnt know the owner of the land but is still drawn to the beauty of the scene. Frost gives a scene that is taken into the reader and digested for a time in the speakers mind. It shows us that it is all right to take a minute out of a hurried hour and reflect upon what is around you, whether it is a snowy wood or a quite room. Frosts use of nature gives the reader an immense selection of symbolism to contemplate. The poem Nothing Gold Can Stay is a potent dose of symbolic nature.
Natures first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leafs a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing can stay. (p. 810) The natures change from green to gold symbolizes how nothing can stay and live forever. Everything must come to an end. Nature is a constant reminder to humans of our limited time on this earth and Frost uses this fact to illustrate to the reader the power and beauty of our existence. Frost uses nature in another interesting way in his writing.
Nature becomes a potent way to give the reader intimacy into the speakers thoughts and choices. In the poem The Road Not Taken, we find an unrivaled use of imagery and symbolism representing the speakers choices about life. 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 traveled by, And that has made all the difference. (p. 804) The speaker is torn between two choices in life but takes the harder choice and it has changed his or her life forever.
Many people face this situation everyday and choose the easy way and never challenge themselves. What this poems imagery does for the reader is give them an example of this situation and how a difficult choice is sometimes best to be taken. Nature is a revolving theme in Robert Frosts poems that helps develop the writings into works that the reader can relate to and understand. The nature helps the reader develop intimacy with the speaker, shows us how to reflect, and makes us think about what the images represent.