Essay On The Road Not Taken

One of the most anthologized, analyzed and quoted poem in American poetry is the work of Robert Frost entitled “The Road not taken” that was published in 1912. Several interpretations made in this poem suggest that the author wanted to express non-conformity and individualism. However, upon the reading the poem it appears that the speaker wants to insinuate a literary depiction of a person’s decision to choose between two paths at the end of the road, which translates to the way a person would choose his own life’s path. The poem has an existential theme that conveys emotion, intellect and recollection.
Any person reading the poem would immediately develop a notion that its context is a depiction of someone’s choices in life. Given that the obvious idea of the poem is synonymous to taking chances and choosing our own path. It ideally conveys emotional provocation because normally when people talk about their life’s journey, they end up expressing their emotional feelings towards the thought of life experiences.
One of the most essential characteristics of the poem that I believe is the most impressive is the way symbolism was used in poem. An average poet may write a poem, but generally portray the obvious contextual meaning in their choice of words. In Frost’s “The road not taken,” readers would first need to decipher the complex terminologies used in the poem. The depiction of the thoughts in each stanza were expressed through symbols such as traveller as the reader and the path being grassy conveys the challenges in life faced by the traveller along the journey.
Another good point about the poem is its expression of recollection. When talking about recollection, it generally refers to how people look back in their journey and the regrets they felt for making the wrong decisions. The speaker on the other hand recalled in the last stanza that sometime ago when he was in the position to choose between the two paths, he took the least travelled and that choice made all the difference in his life. This passage encompasses the thought of recollecting, although very brief still connects with the emotional indications of the poem.
Given the complexity of the language used in the poem and its efficiency in concealing the obvious context of the passages. Therefore, the poem has lived up to its existential themes that highlight three essential characteristics such as emotional, recollecting and intellectual. The simplicity of its form cannot be an assumption of having shallowness, but rather encompasses a compelling expression of self-reflection. Frost was able to able to show ingenuity in its simplest form, his work depicts a short, but thought provoking literary piece that connects to every level of readers.