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ABOUT THE POET
Robert Frost, in full Robert Lee Frost, (born March 26, 1874, San Francisco, California, U.S.—died January 29, 1963, Boston, Massachusetts), American poet who was much admired for his depictions of the rural life of New England, his command of American colloquial speech, and his realistic verse portraying ordinary people in everyday situations.
This poem presents a moment that seems simple, but has a larger significance. [Compare this other quotation from Robert Frost: “Always, always a larger significance... A little thing touches a larger thing.”)
1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
The “dust of snow” refers to fine particles of flakes of snow. The poet was in a sad mood when snow had fallen on him. The poet’s mood changed from sadness to happiness. He felt refreshed to spend the rest of the day in a joyful mood.
2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to think of an answer.
Birds like sparrow, nightingale and peacock are often named in poems. Unlike those birds crows are often seen as indicators of doom and fear. They are often used for negative references.
Hemlock tree is a poisonous tree with small white flowers. The poet uses hemlock tree as a reference because he portrays a sad scene and he was in a gloomy mood. Generally trees like oak, maple and pine are considered to be auspicious and absorb all negative energy.
Both ‘crow and hemlock’ represents sorrow. Frost uses both negative creatures as the carriers of positivism and strength that transformed his day for the better. The dust of snow stands for positive energy in this poem. Basically the poet was having a terrible day. But the falling of the snow on his head lifted the sorrow for better.
3. What is the message conveyed in the poem.
Frost has used simple language to drive home a very significant message the little thing sometimes have a big impact. An easy uncomplicated language coupled with unusual visual imagery and brevity of words creates the desired effect. The poets bitterness finds reflection even in the environment around him. The noisy dark crow the poisonous hemlock and the icy snow around, all are essentially depressing images. However, despite the negativity when the crow shakes down the dust of snow onto to the poet it also shakes off some of the author’s regretful thoughts. Today when all of us live in stressful atmosphere, the poem teaches us to gain happiness from little things.
1. In what way fire and ice are similar to each other?
Fire and ice have contradictory traits but they have same quality to destroy everything on this earth.
2. What are the opinions of the world discussed in the poem?
The two opinions are that this world will end either in fire or in ice.
3. What is the symbolic meaning of Fire and ice ?
Fire is compare to endless desires of human beings and ice is compared to the feelings of hatred among human beings.
4. What is the message conveyed in the poem.
Fire and ice is predicted as the end of the world, fire and ice being the two vices namely desire and hatred which could possibly lead to the end of our existence.
5. From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire. – Explain.
Poet says that he has experienced the uncontrolled emotions of desire, jealousy and lust among people and he says that he is in favour of people who say that the world will end because of fire.
6. But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice – Explain.
The poet has seen and experienced enough hatred in the world. Cold reasoning devoid of human feelings only produce hate. This feeling of hatred is like ice. Ice itself is sufficient enough to cause the destruction of this world.
Robert Frost, in full Robert Lee Frost, (born March 26, 1874, San Francisco, California, U.S.—died January 29, 1963, Boston, Massachusetts), American poet who was much admired for his depictions of the rural life of New England, his command of American colloquial speech, and his realistic verse portraying ordinary people in everyday situations.
Dust of Snow
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
This poem presents a moment that seems simple, but has a larger significance. [Compare this other quotation from Robert Frost: “Always, always a larger significance... A little thing touches a larger thing.”)
1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
The “dust of snow” refers to fine particles of flakes of snow. The poet was in a sad mood when snow had fallen on him. The poet’s mood changed from sadness to happiness. He felt refreshed to spend the rest of the day in a joyful mood.
2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to think of an answer.
(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?
Birds like sparrow, nightingale and peacock are often named in poems. Unlike those birds crows are often seen as indicators of doom and fear. They are often used for negative references.
(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
Hemlock tree is a poisonous tree with small white flowers. The poet uses hemlock tree as a reference because he portrays a sad scene and he was in a gloomy mood. Generally trees like oak, maple and pine are considered to be auspicious and absorb all negative energy.
(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?
Both ‘crow and hemlock’ represents sorrow. Frost uses both negative creatures as the carriers of positivism and strength that transformed his day for the better. The dust of snow stands for positive energy in this poem. Basically the poet was having a terrible day. But the falling of the snow on his head lifted the sorrow for better.
3. What is the message conveyed in the poem.
Frost has used simple language to drive home a very significant message the little thing sometimes have a big impact. An easy uncomplicated language coupled with unusual visual imagery and brevity of words creates the desired effect. The poets bitterness finds reflection even in the environment around him. The noisy dark crow the poisonous hemlock and the icy snow around, all are essentially depressing images. However, despite the negativity when the crow shakes down the dust of snow onto to the poet it also shakes off some of the author’s regretful thoughts. Today when all of us live in stressful atmosphere, the poem teaches us to gain happiness from little things.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
1. In what way fire and ice are similar to each other?
Fire and ice have contradictory traits but they have same quality to destroy everything on this earth.
2. What are the opinions of the world discussed in the poem?
The two opinions are that this world will end either in fire or in ice.
3. What is the symbolic meaning of Fire and ice ?
Fire is compare to endless desires of human beings and ice is compared to the feelings of hatred among human beings.
4. What is the message conveyed in the poem.
Fire and ice is predicted as the end of the world, fire and ice being the two vices namely desire and hatred which could possibly lead to the end of our existence.
5. From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire. – Explain.
Poet says that he has experienced the uncontrolled emotions of desire, jealousy and lust among people and he says that he is in favour of people who say that the world will end because of fire.
6. But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice – Explain.
The poet has seen and experienced enough hatred in the world. Cold reasoning devoid of human feelings only produce hate. This feeling of hatred is like ice. Ice itself is sufficient enough to cause the destruction of this world.
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