The Road Not Taken Flashcards
Robert Frost
famous poem
Dates
“The Road Not Taken”
Published in 1916 as the first poem in the collection Mountain Interval.
(1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
Very Simple Meaning of the Poem
This poem deals with that big noble question of “How to make a difference in the world?”
Our hero wants to make a difference and so should we. That is why this is a great poem, from a basic or close reading perspective.
Robert Frost
Dates
b. 1874
d. 1963
The Road Not Taken
lines 1-3
Two roads …
… traveler,
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 2-4
And sorry …
… I could
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 3-5
long I …
… undergrowth;
long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 1-5
Two roads …
… undergrowth;
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;
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 5-6
To where …
… as fair,
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 6-8
Then took …
.. was grassy
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 7-8
And having …
… wanted wear;
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 7-9
Because it …
… passing there
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost r(1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 8-10
Wanted wear; …
… the same,
wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 6-10
Then took …
… same,
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,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 1-10
Two roads …
… the same,
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,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 10-11
Had worn …
… equally lay
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 11-12
And both …
… trodden black.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 12-13
In leaves …
… another day!
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 11-13
And both …
… another day!
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 13-14
In leaves …
… to way,
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 14-15
Yet knowing …
… come back.
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 13-15
Oh, I kept …
… back.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 11-15
And both that …
… back.
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.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 15-16
I doubted …
… a sigh
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 16-17
I shall …
… hence:
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 17-18
Somewhere ages …
… and I —
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 18-19
diverged …
… travelled by,
diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 17-19
Somewhere ages …
… traveled by,
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 19-20
I took …
… difference.
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 18-20
diverged …
… difference.
diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 16-20
I shall be …
… difference.
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.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 11-20
And both …
… the difference.
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.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
“The Road Not Taken”
Author
Dates
Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Published in 1916 as the first poem in the collection Mountain Interval.
The Road Not Taken
lines 1-20
Two roads …
… difference.
(Whole 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.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
Extended Discussion on the Meaning of the Poem
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
This poem deals with that big noble question of “How to make a difference in the world?” On first reading, it tells us that the choice one makes really does matter, ending: “I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.”
A closer reading reveals that the lonely choice that was made earlier by our traveling narrator maybe wasn’t all that significant since both roads were pretty much the same anyway (“Had warn them really about the same”) and it is only in the remembering and retelling that it made a difference. We are left to ponder if the narrator had instead traveled down “The Road Not Taken” might it have also made a difference as well. In a sense, “The Road Not Taken” tears apart the traditional view of individualism, which hinges on the importance of choice, as in the case of democracy in general (choosing a candidate), as well as various constitutional freedoms: choice of religion, choice of words (freedom of speech), choice of group (freedom of assembly), and choice of source of information (freedom of press). For example, we might imagine a young man choosing between being a carpenter or a banker later seeing great significance in his choice to be a banker, but in fact there was not much in his original decision at all other than a passing fancy. In this, we see the universality of human beings: the roads leading to carpenter and banker being basically the same and the carpenter and bankers at the end of them—seeming like individuals who made significant choices—really being just part of the collective of the human race.
Then is this poem not about the question “How to make a difference in the world?” after all? No. It is still about this question. The ending is the most clear and striking part. If nothing else, readers are left with the impression that our narrator, who commands beautiful verse, profound imagery, and time itself (“ages and ages hence”) puts value on striving to make a difference. The striving is reconstituted and complicated here in reflection, but our hero wants to make a difference and so should we. That is why this is a great poem, from a basic or close reading perspective.
The Road Not Taken
lines 14-15
Yet knowing …
… come back.
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I DOUBTED IF I SHOULD ever come back.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 19-20
I took …
… difference.
I took the one less traveled by,
And that HAS made all the difference.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 14-15
Yet knowing …
… come back.
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted IF I should ever come back.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
The Road Not Taken
lines 8-10
Wanted wear; …
… the same,
wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had WORN THEM REALLY about the same,
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)
