Robert Frost: Poet, Icon, Legend Essay Example

to pursue teaching and writing on the side.

After having some of his poems published, Frost began reporting for the Lawrence Daily American and the Sentinel. In 1895, Elinor finally agreed to marry Frost and shortly after, their first child, Elliott, was born in 1896. Frost was granted the Sewall Scholarship and decided to return to college, this time at Harvard. However, this attempt also failed and Frost left in 1899 (Robert Frost Biography 1). This time period signifies the start of a series of life-altering events for Frost. In 1899, Frost's health was deteriorating and his doctor advised him to give up his sedentary lifestyle.

He relocated his family to his grandfather's poultry farm and took on the role of a farmer. In 1900, tragedy struck when Elliott passed away due to cholera. This loss deeply affected Robert and Elinor's marriage, causing them to drift apart. During this period known as "The Derry Years," Frost continued to write, drawing inspiration from his experiences on the farm. Two of his most renowned poems, "Home Burial" and "The Mending Wall," were influenced by this time. Within "Home Burial," Frost skillfully employs his mastery of everyday language and captivates readers through his deviation from the conventional iambic pentameter.

The creative genius of the husband is evident in lines 18 and 19, where he states, "You don't know how to ask it" and "Help me, then." These lines are visually presented and break the pattern of the other verses, highlighting the distance between the husband and wife. Towards the poem's end, the wife echoes her husband's words when he returned from burying their son, saying, "Three foggy mornings

and one rainy day will rot the best birch fence a man can build." The wife is angry at her husband's apparent lack of grief after such a terrible task, but she fails to grasp the symbolism of nature claiming their son just like it claims the fence.

The lack of communication and understanding between them is further illustrated. The title, "Home Burial," appears to signify multiple deaths - the death of the child, the death of the husband's dominance over the wife, and the death of their emotional bond (Merriman 1). The poem's use of simple language and exploration of the harsh truth of losing a child makes it highly relatable. Frost also experienced personal losses during "The Derry Years," including his grandfather, mother, and youngest daughter named Elinor Bettina, who lived for only three days.

After experiencing significant losses and receiving unfavorable reviews for his writing, Frost opted to sell his farm in 1912 and move to England, where he could fully dedicate himself to writing. Surprisingly, within six months, his first book titled "A Boy's Will" was published. In 1914, Frost received unexpected news that his books were going to be published in the United States and were receiving enthusiastic reviews, which was a pleasant surprise considering his prior experience with criticism. Impressed by his newfound success, Frost decided to return to the United States in 1915 (Robert Frost Biography 1). Shortly after coming back to America, he released the renowned poem "The Road Not Taken."

One of his most famous and extensively studied works is this poem. It portrays a man walking in the woods who encounters a fork in the

road. He ponders the various choices before him and their potential effects on his life. There are two main interpretations of this poem. One interprets it literally, perceiving it as motivational and symbolic of self-reliance and happiness. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that the poem does not offer any moral lesson about decision-making. Instead, it recognizes that making choices is unavoidable but their true importance can only be comprehended through lived experiences.

Robert Frost himself warned readers about this poem, saying, "You must be cautious with that one; it's a tricky poem - very tricky." This poem showcases Frost's talent for writing in free verse, captivating readers with its simplicity. By publishing poetry that resonated with the common man, Frost quickly gained popularity and began speaking at colleges. Eventually, he was invited to teach at Amherst College, where he remained until 1920, except for two breaks in his career. Unfortunately, another tragedy awaited Frost in 1920 when he admitted his daughter, Jeanie, to a mental hospital.

In South Shaftsburg, Vermont, Robert Frost purchased "Stone House" where he composed the majority of the poems featured in "New Hampshire" (1923), which earned him a Pulitzer Prize. At a later point, Frost passed on the property to his son Carol upon his marriage and the establishment of his own family. In turn, Frost acquired "The Gully," a location where he produced various works including "A Witness Tree." He cherished spending time with his offspring and grandchildren at this place. In 1934, Frost faced another interruption in his teaching and speaking engagements when his daughter, Marjorie, tragically succumbed to puerperal fever following the birth of her first

child.

His relationship with Elinor deteriorated until her death in 1938, when she refused Frost's visit and he subsequently did not attend her funeral. Shortly thereafter, Frost developed a strong bond with Kay Morrison, whom he hired as his secretary and advisor (Faggen 35). Despite not being known for writing poems for individuals, "The Witness Tree" was actually a love poem dedicated to Kay. Following Elinor's passing, Frost left "The Gulley" and relocated to Ripton, Vermont. Unfortunately, tragedy struck once again in 1940 when his son Carol took his own life.

Robert Frost drew inspiration from nature and personal tragedy while staying in a cabin. During this time, he wrote several works including "A Cabin in the Clearing," as well as two plays titled "A Masque of Reason" and "A Masque of Mercy." While hospitalized in December 1962, he published his final book called "In the Clearing." Although not autobiographical, Frost's writing style reflected his deep and introspective exploration of universal themes.

Frost is considered a contemporary poet because he incorporates spoken language into his writing. His distinctive style, extensive body of work, and active promotion through speaking engagements all contributed to his success. This success resulted in him being awarded four Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other literary honors during his lifetime. In 1958, President Eisenhower appointed Frost as the Poetry Consultant for the Library of Congress, and in 1961, President Kennedy invited him to speak at his inauguration. Despite struggling with failing eyesight, Frost managed to recite "The Gift Outright" instead of reading the special poem he had written for the occasion, creating an iconic moment in literary history (Cummings 115). While readers admired

Frost's poetry, literary critics were less enthusiastic because they viewed his fusion of traditional forms with American speech patterns as a direct challenge to the "elitist credo of Modernism" (Gioia 1). Nevertheless, Frost took risks with his writing by introducing literature to ordinary people. He skillfully employed free verse to express his own experiences and tragedies, paving the way for a new generation of modern poets.