The Road Not Taken poem - by Robert Frost - Notes - SUMMARY

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

Poem: 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as 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,

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.

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.

*** 

About the Poet:

¨Robert Lee Frost 

¨Birth: March 26, 1874 

¨Death: January 29, 1963

¨American poet

¨Known for his realistic

   depictions of rural life 

¨Frequently wrote about

   settings from rural life 

   using them to examine

   complex social and philosophical themes.

¨Received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry

Other Famous Poems: A Boy’s Will; Mending Wall; Birches; Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening;

*** 

Summary:

‘The Road Not Taken’ is a poem written by Robert Frost. The poem has a universal appeal. The poem deals with the dilemma in decision making.

One day the poet travels through a wood. There are two roads available for him. Both appear almost the same except for small difference. While one road was used by many, the other one was less used. After much deliberation, the poet decides to take the less traveled road. He leaves the first road for another day. But he knows that it is not easy to come back.    The poet tells that in future, he would tell others that he chose the less traveled road which made all the difference.

Frost uses the divergent roads as the images for different choices in our lives. Before taking a decision we have to think carefully. But once a decision is taken, we should move forward. We should not regret for that in future. Every road will have its own difficulties or hurdles. When one wants to tread the less traveled path, he must have the courage to face the consequences.

****

Noojilla Srinivas

Lecturer in English

Govt.Degree College, 

Alamuru

noojillasrinivas@gmail.com