Overview:
There were many aspects that contributed to the development of Frost's poetic inspiration. He wrote with the intention of highlighting his connection to nature, continuous family tragedy, and academic values, as they all helped shape him as a poet.
ENVIRONMENT
Robert Frost's relationship with nature is a recurring theme within his poetry. Much of Frost's work is inspired by the rural and rustic landscape he grew up in in New Hampshire. His connection with and love for nature only grew as he moved to New England and began writing about more complex themes through his admiration in nature there. The deep connection to nature paved the way for the revelation of the unique and distinct imagery portrayed in his work.
EXAMPLE POETRY:
"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.
APPLICABILITY:
This poem is a perfect example of Frost's use of imagery within nature. He paints a vivid picture here of a crow alighting upon the branch of a tree, causing snow to fall down onto the narrator. Frost's intimate and soulful connection to nature is evident here, as a small act of nature and his observation and appreciation of it is enough to pull the narrator out of a dreary mood.
Frost experienced quite a bit of family tension over the course of his life, a condition that inevitably affected his own mental health. As a child, he dealt with a troubling home life, growing up with an alcoholic father and a cult-involved mother. His family already had a history of depression, including his mother, his wife, his sister, a couple of his children, and even himself. At the young age of 11, Frost lost his father to tuberculosis, and 15 years later in 1900, he lost his mother to cancer. Overflowing pain and grief followed him into his adulthood as he lost two children who were both in their youth as well as his wife to heart disease. If that wasn't enough tragedy, he lost his sister while admitted to a mental hospital in 1929. Frost even attempted to take his own life, and later on, his son committed suicide. Struggles with mental health are a major theme that defines his life experience, so it is no surprise that this is reflected in his poetry.
EXAMPLE POETRY:
"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.
APPLICABILITY:
Frost's challenges with mental health are quite apparent in "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." The narrator here seems to be set upon ending his own life, evidenced by the end of the first stanza. He does not plan to be around anymore by the time the snow falls in the woods he is describing. This death plan is further explicated through the language Frost uses, describing the darkness of the woods but also emphasizing that he finds them "lovely." He also uses sleep as a metaphor for dying. Frost is idealizing the state of death, a common occurrence in people experiencing suicidal thoughts. He ends the poem on a hopeful note, recognizing that he has "miles to go" before falling into "sleep." The narrator has much life left to live as he realizes that has been able to overcome all of the heavy and darkest moments of his life.
The value Frost placed on contemplation, especially in regards to personal introspection, is evident in his poetry. He seems to have approached life through a philosophical lens, spending a great deal of time studying abstract ideas like the concept of choice. Frost saw the value in examining his own life and decisions, and encouraging others to do the same through his work.
EXAMPLE POETRY:
"The Road Not Taken"
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.
APPLICABILITY:
There is a very clear theme of choice expressed here by Frost. The literal fork in the road described by the narrator is an apt metaphor for the concept of choice. He shares that, rather than taking the path more commonly taken, he decided to take the other route. He expresses a desire to lead a life that is different from the one others select. The narrator here is someone who dared to be different and reflects fondly upon that choice. This also draws a connection to the uniqueness in his work as a poet.
POETIC INFLUENCES
Some of the top writers who inspired Frost within his poetic work were Thomas Hardy, William Butler Yeats, and John Keats.
THOMAS HARDY
WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS
JOHN KEATS
He was a nature poet when nature was frowned upon in poetry. As he continued to write about nature, he believed more-so than Frost that humans were one with nature. However, Frost still looked to him as an influencer and then used nature in his own writing to convey larger and deeper messages relating to life in generality.
He had a large impact on Frost's style of writing and inspired him to incorporate poetical devices such as symbolism and metaphor to drive depth within his work to discuss larger, deeper ideas and themes. The two of them spent a lot of time together breaking down the meaning of specific poems together.
He was a highly honored nature poet like Hardy. Keats implemented a lot of imagery and emotion into his work and talked very respectively of nature. Likewise, Frost followed suite in writing of his positive embrace with nature. They both used nature to express emotion and experience.