Stopping By Wood On A Snowy Evening

Robert Frost

The poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is in general viewed as a Frost's

masterpiece. It is Frost's most famous poem and also perhaps Frost's most regularly
taught poem. The speaker in the poem, probably the poet himself, is a traveller by
horse on the darkest night of the year. He stops to gaze at a woods filling up with
snow. While he is entranced by the beauty of the woods, he realises that he has
duties and obligations and this realisation drags him away from the lure of
enchantments of nature.

He thinks the owner of these woods is someone who lives in the village and will not
see the speaker stopping on his property. While the speaker continues to look into
the snowy woods, his little horse impatiently shakes the bells of its harness. The
speaker outlines the beauty and allure of the woods as lovely, dark, and deep, but
reminds himself that he must not remain there, for he has promises to keep, and
a long journey ahead of him. He has a long way to travel before he rests. Here, the
traveller, the journey and the sleep have symbolic meanings. The traveller is any
individual on his/her great journey of life and sleep is the end of life or death, the
eternal sleep.
The moral of the poem is that we should not be distracted by the temptations of life
but complete all our duties and responsibilities before we end the journey of our life.

Extract 1
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.
(a) Who is I in this poem? Why is he unable to move from the place?
The poet as a traveller is the I referred to here. He is returning home on his horse
from far away. It is getting late. He has come to a place where there is a wood with
an alluring charm. He is very much attracted by the beauty of the woods as it gets
filled up with snow in a dark winter evening. Enchanted by the scenic splendour of

the woods he finds himself rooted at the spot, unable to move away from the
magnificent spectacle.
(b) Who is the owner of wood? What is his significance here?
The poet thinks that the woods is owned by someone he knows who lives in a house
in village. The poet feels that the owner is unaware of the beauty of his woods.
The house and the village signify civilisation and the owner of the woods living in a
house in a village suggests the alienation of man from nature. The woods, a symbol
of nature, is contrasted with the house and the village, symbols of civilisation.
(c) Though a lover of nature, the traveller is conscious of his obligations of his life.
Substantiate.
We can definitely assert that the traveller is a lover of the nature. Being spellbound
by the stunning sight of the woods filling with snow and the pristine white frozen
lake, he momentarily buries his family and social obligations.
The traveller is clearly conscious of his obligations and responsibilities of his life.
Although he is excited to take pleasure in the beauteous grandeur of the place for a
longer time; he considers his responsibilities and this presses him to go forward in
his journey.
(d) What is the theme and philosophy of the poem?
Frost has employed a simple incident to present a profound philosophical reflection.
The journey in the poem is a metaphor of the life journey. Even though the traveller
is greatly attracted by the beauty of the woods, he cannot stand and stare for a long
time. He has many promises to keep and many duties and responsibilities to
complete.
The speaker outlines the beauty and allure of the woods as lovely, dark, and
deep, but reminds himself that he must not remain there, for he has promises to
keep, and a long journey ahead of him. He has a long way to travel before he rests.
Here, the traveller, the journey and the sleep hold symbolic significances. The
traveller is a man on his great journey of life and sleep is the end of life or death,
the eternal sleep.
The moral of the poem is that we should not be distracted by the temptations of life
but complete all our duties and responsibilities before we end the journey of our life.
Extract 2
My little horse must think it queer.
To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.
(a) What does must mean here? Is the little horse a part of his occupation?
What is the role of the horse in the poem?
The speaker, probably the poet himself, who is riding his horse, stops by a lovely,
mysterious and deep wood. The poet is tempted to stay more at this beautiful place.
However, the thought of his responsibilities urges him to continue his journey.
The speaker is almost certainly a farmer, returning home in a hurry.
The horse further suggests the total alienation of man from nature, The horse is so
domesticated that it thinks like man. The horse thinks that the traveller has made a
mistake to stop at a place where there is no source for rest and food. The horse is
impatient to carry on the journey whereas the traveller desires to stop and absorb
the beauty of nature. The horse shakes it harness bells and the chiming of the bells
brings back the poet to the reality of life. Thus, the horse, in a way, acts as the
intermediary vehicle that makes the speaker conscious that he has a long way to go
before he gets home to sleep and that he has many promises to keep and many
duties and responsibilities to complete.
(b) Which season of the year is being described? Support your answer from the
stanza. What does the darkest night imply?
The winter season of the year is being described. The falling of snow, the freezing of
lake are the features of winter season. Moreover, the darkest night suggests the
winter solstice (22 December).
As the whole poem is a metaphor for a mans journey through his life, the darkest
night probably implies a critically despondent juncture in the poets life when he is
caught with the temptation to escape from the harsh realities of life that overawe
him.
Extract 3
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sounds the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake
(a) What does he stands for? Why does he think there is some mistake?
The horse is referred to as He here. The horse feels there is some mistake since he
finds there no farmhouse nearby which can provide food and rest.

The poet has used here the figure of speech of personification. The horse further
suggests the total alienation of man from nature, The horse is so domesticated that
it thinks like a man. The horse thinks that the traveller has made a mistake to stop
at a place where there is no source for rest and food. The horse is impatient to carry
on the journey whereas the traveller desires to stop and soak up the beauty of
nature.
(b) It is very quiet all around. What lines emphases this? What are the three sounds
that the poet mentions?
The place attracts the poet too much but is very all around. The sound of wind and
snowfall emphasizes the quiet of the wilderness. Though the place seems attractive,
there seems no sign of liveliness all around.
In the stanza only there sounds are mentioned. In this dark-deep forest one can
hear the sound of wind, sound of snowfall and the sound of harness of the horse.
(c) Explain: Of easy wind and downy flake
The sweep of the wind provides ease and comfort and the soft caress of the downy
flake provides pleasure. The immense pleasure that the poet experiences in the
solitude of the woods is suggested by Of easy wind and downy flake
Extract 4
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go to before I sleep.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
(a) Explain: The woods are lovely, dark and deep
The speaker in the poem, probably the poet himself, is a traveller by horse on the
darkest night of the year. He stops to gaze at a woods filling up with snow. He is
captivated by the loveliness of the woods,
The word lovely suggests the beauty and allure of the place; dark and deep suggest
the mysterious attraction of the dark deep wood. Life is also like the woods- lovely
dark and deep; life too has its charm, mystery and depth.
(b) What is the significance of the word But in the second line? Why he has to
move from that attractive place?

But in the second line reminds the poet that he must not remain there, for he has
promises to keep, and a long journey ahead of him. He has a long way to travel
before he rests. Here, the traveller, the journey and the sleep take symbolic
implications. The traveller is a man on his great journey of life and sleep is the end
of life or death, the eternal sleep. Hence, much against his keenness to stay there to
indulge in the soothing sensation of the solitude, the poet carries on as he has to
cover long distance in order to keep his promise.
(c) Why is you opinion, does the poet repeat the line And miles to go before I
sleep?
The poet repeats the line And miles to go before I sleep as a sign of his resolve to
move on his journey and not be bewitched by the splendour of the beautiful scene.
He recognises that he has to travel long and has promises to keep.
Frost has employed a simple incident to present a profound philosophical reflection.
The journey in the poem is a metaphor of the life journey. Even though the traveller
is greatly attracted by the beauty of the woods, he cannot stand and stare for a long
time. He has many promises to keep and many duties and responsibilities to
complete.
The speaker outlines the beauty and allure of the woods but reminds himself that he
must not remain there, for he has promises to keep, and a long journey ahead of
him. Here, the traveller, the journey and the sleep have symbolic meanings. The
traveller is a man on his great journey of life and sleep is the end of life or death,
the eternal sleep.

1. A horse is more intelligent than an ass.

An ass is not as intelligent as a horse.

2. A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.
A foolish friend is not as good as a wise enemy.
3. Bombay is the best sea-port in India.

No other seaport in India is as good as Bombay.

4. Disraeli was the greatest statesman of England.

No other statesman of England was as great as Disraeli.

5. There are few districts as fertile as Hoshiarpur.

Hoshiapur is one of the most fertile districts.

6. Kalidasa is one of the greatest poets.

Very few poets are as great as Kalidasa.

7. Very few books are as popular as Dickens David Copperfield.
Dickens David Copperfield is one of the most popular books.
8. Gold is one of the most precious metals.

Very few metals are as precious as gols.

9. It is easier to speak than to act.
Action is not as easy as speech.
10. The train runs faster than a horse-cart.
A horse cart does run as fast the train.
11. He knows you better than I.
I do not know you as well as he knows you.
12. He knows you better than me.
You are known to him better I know you.
13. Of all men he is the meanest.

No other man is as mean as he is.

14. Let us see who runs fastest.
Let us see who runs faster among us.
15. He does his work more honestly than anybody else.

He is the most honest worker.

16. Few historians write as graphically as Macaulay.
Macaulay writes more graphically than most of the historians.
17. John bowls faster than Jack.
Jack does not bowl as fast as John.
18. Ashoka was one of the noblest of Indian kings.
Very few kings were as noble as Ashoka.
19. A live ass is better than a dead lion.

A dead lion is not as good as a live ass.

20. Jim seemed more cheerful than any of his companions.

None of his companions seemed as cheerful as Jim.