Robert Frost as a modern poet
Evaluate Robert Frost as a modern poet. [NU: 2020, 22]
Or, In what sense is Robert Frost a modern poet? [NU: 2017]
Or, Frost’s poetry reflects modern life despite its pastoral settings.
Robert Frost (1874–1963) is one of the greatest American poets of the twentieth century. He lived and wrote in the modern age. He is famous for his portrayal of the simple pastoral settings of New England, where he lived. Frost’s poetry goes beyond the pastoral settings and focuses on the thoughts, struggles, and feelings of modern men. Let us evaluate Robert Frost as a modern poet below.
Loneliness and Human Connection: Modern poets often talk about loneliness and the desire for human connection. Frost is no exception. “The Death of the Hired Man” (1914) focuses on these themes. In this poem, Warren and Mary talk about the return of their old farm worker, Silas. Silas is very sick. Warren is unwilling to hire Silas again because he left the farm during a busy haying season. But Mary realizes that Silas has not returned to work. He has come back to his close ones in his final moments. She says to Warren:
Silas does not go to his brother, who is a rich bank director. This shows how lonely Silas is. In the end, Silas dies. So, Silas’s story is the story of a lonely man who seeks human connection in his final moments.“He [Silas] has come home to die.”
Lonely Walker: The speaker of “Acquainted with the Night” (1927) is also lonely. He walks alone through the city streets at night. He says:
Here, the night does not only mean darkness but also sadness and loneliness. When he meets a watchman, he lowers his eyes and does not speak. This shows that he does not want human contact. So, the whole poem shows a man completely cut off from society. Such a theme of loneliness is a clear mark of modern poetry.“I have been one acquainted with the night.”
Tradition vs. Modern Thinking: Modern poets often question old traditions. Frost does the same in “Mending Wall” (1914). In this poem, the speaker and his neighbour meet every spring to repair the stone wall between their lands. However, the speaker questions the necessity of the wall. He says his apple trees will never get across the wall and eat his neighbor’s pines. Moreover, they have no cows to keep in or out. So, he thinks the wall is not necessary at all. It only separates people. However, the neighbor does not agree. He believes in traditional thinking. He is not happy to accept modern ways of thinking. So, his only reply is:
Uncertainty of Life and Choices: Modern poets deal with the uncertainty of life and choices. We find this theme in Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” (1915). The speaker comes in front of a diverging road in a yellow wood. He feels sad that he cannot travel both roads. He must choose one, but he does not know which road will give him better rewards. This is the dilemma of modern men. Sometimes, we make important choices. But we cannot know if the outcome will be good or bad.“Good fences make good neighbours.”
Harsh Adulthood: Modern men struggle with the harsh reality of life. They feel the burden of responsibilities. So, they often wish to return to the simple joy of childhood. This is exactly what happens in “Birches” (1916). In this poem, the speaker sees some birch trees bent by ice storms. He imagines that the trees are bent this way because a young boy has been swinging them. Then, he remembers that as a boy, he also swung on birches.
The speaker wishes he could go back to childhood and enjoy the simple joy again.“I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.”
For these reasons, Robert Frost is truly a modern poet. His poems are simple in setting but deep in meaning. He talks about loneliness, uncertainty, tradition, and the desire for escape. He uses simple life in a pastoral setting to express modern human problems.