Stopping by woods on the snowy evening by Robert Frost.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

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.   

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.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

Analysis :-

                     Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening is a well known Frost classic. Published in 1923 it quickly became a poem to keep in memory and although many people know the words by heart, interpretation isn't quite as straightforward.

                     Robert Frost, when asked if the poem had anything to do with death or suicide, denied it, preferring to keep everyone guessing by simply saying 'No', but many think that the poem can be construed as a dream-like image of someone passing away, or saying a final goodbye.

                   In many ways it's a poem that trusts the reader, the words and the sounds and the sense appealing to all types, from those who regard it as no more than a winter scene with snowy woods, horse and rider, to others who feel a shudder when they read the final two lines.

                   In the first stanza start with a  possessive pronoun. It is a brave and unusual things. The poet thinks that he knows who owns the wood. The first uncertainty is introduced and he is making his first statement to reassure himself as he comes to stop breaking his journey. In the further lines creating the gentle , slightly and mysterious atmosphere. Yet the image presented to the reader is as innocent. The  poet is far away from human world and comes into the natural world.

                  In the second stanza concentrates on the  horse 's reaction to the rider. Again the tetrameter reassures and lulls the reader into false sense of security. The language is simple yet the meaning can be taken in two ways. Queer is the word that mean odd or strange. The Frozen lake is the symbol of Death. Darkest evening is the symbol of depression. 

           In the third stanza Horse is notice the intention  of his master. Horse thinks that they should move on.  The horse is uncertain it's shakes the bells on the harness. Harness is the symbol of intellectual.  It reminding the rider that this whole business stopping by woods is a tad disturbing. The creature like a horse symbol of intuition , noble , journey, grace and sacrifice to focus the rider 's mind on reality. They ought to be moving ahead , there is something  about the way that worries the  horse apart from cold and dark. They heard the sound of wind and downy flake. 

           

              In the fourth stanza Narrator finds the woods to be lovely and beautiful.  Here is paradox of language in words that woods are lovely , dark and deep. Dark and deep not matched with each other. it is dark and deep yet very attracting. He wants to stay there forever looking at how the snow flakes fall on the woods. But he can't do what he desires to do. He has many responsibilities to fulfill. He had made promise to someone seems his family members. It is his obligation to fulfill those promises.