Robert Frost’s poem, ‘A Boy’s Will’, is a representation of the difficult journey one goes through in life. Dealing with themes such as struggle, love, and hardship, Frost’s poem reflects the challenges faced by individuals during their lifetime. In the poem, Frost employs a variety of poetic devices, such as personification and imagery, to portray his message. In this way, he helps the reader understand the poem in a more comprehensive manner.
Frost’s use of personification in the poem serves to illustrate the struggles faced by his protagonist. For instance, early in the poem, he writes, ‘Life is too much like a pathless wood,’ indicating the life of the protagonist is unpredictable and full of danger. Later, he writes, ‘I have but shuffled off my brains,’ indicating the protagonist’s growing frustrations with the challenges he faces. By creating the personification of life and struggle, Frost demonstrates how the main character is beset by seemingly endless hardships.
Frost’s use of imagery is an integral part of his poem. He uses imagery to show how the protagonist changes over the course of the poem. For instance, early on in the poem, Frost writes, ‘Where no step echoed,’ showing how the protagonist is lonely and isolated. As the poem progresses, Frost writes, ‘Farewell my friends, I might not ever see you now/Or ever think about you in another world,’ illustrating how the protagonist comes to accept change and move on. Through these images, Frost demonstrates how the protagonist finds resilience in the face of adversity.
In conclusion, Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’ is a representation of the difficult journey one embarks upon in life. Through the use of poetic devices such as personification and imagery, Frost effectively portrays his message. Overall, Frost’s poem serves to remind us that even in the face of great struggle and hardship, it is possible to find resilience and strength.
Personification in ‘A Boy’s Will’
In ‘A Boy’s Will’, Robert Frost employs the use of personification to convey his protagonist’s struggles. In the poem, Frost personifies the idea of life and struggle to portray his message. For instance, he writes, ‘Life is too much like a pathless wood,’ indicating that the protagonist’s life is unpredictable and dangerous. Here, Frost creates a personification to emphasize the hardships that the protagonist must face. Moreover, he writes, ‘I have but shuffled off my brains,’ implying the protagonist’s waning patience with his struggles. This personification serves to illustrate the escalating battles he must confront. Ultimately, Frost demonstrates how the protagonist is besieged by seemingly endless issues.
In addition to its use for conveying the protagonist’s struggles, Frost also employs personification to demonstrate his protagonist’s resilience in the face of hardship. Towards the end of the poem, Frost writes, ‘But I could stand and laugh and store it away/And start again for something new,’ indicating the protagonist finds resilience in the face of difficulty. Here, Frost personifies the idea of starting anew to illustrate the protagonist’s strength and determination. Through personification, Frost shows how the protagonist finds courage and strength to keep going.
Personification is an integral part of Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’. Through his use of personification, Frost effectively conveys the struggles his protagonist faces as well as his resilience. By creating the personifications of life and struggle, Frost demonstrates how the protagonist is beset by seemingly endless issues. Additionally, Frost employs personification to illustrate his protagonist’s strength in the face of adversity. In this way, he shows how the protagonist finds solace and courage in the face of difficulty.
Imagery in ‘A Boy’s Will’
Although personification is a prominent feature of Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’, imagery is also an important element in the poem. Throughout the poem, Frost uses imagery to depict how the protagonist changes over the course of the poem. For example, Frost writes, ‘Where no step echoed,’ indicating the protagonist’s loneliness and isolation. Here, Frost creates the image of an empty hall which serves to emphasize the protagonist’s feelings of solitude. Additionally, Frost writes, ‘The war between the soul and body ranges wide,’ suggesting the protagonist’s inner turmoil over the decisions he must make. This image demonstrates the challenging emotions the protagonist must come to terms with.
In addition to its function in showing the protagonist’s isolation, Frost’s use of imagery also serves to emphasize the protagonist’s resilience in the face of hardship. Later in the poem, Frost writes, ‘Farewell my friends, I might not ever see you now/Or ever think about you in another world,’ indicating the protagonist’s acceptance and understanding of change. This image serves to portray the protagonist’s newfound strength and courage. By creating these vivid images, Frost emphasizes how the protagonist is able to find hope and resilience in the face of difficulty.
Imagery is a prominent element in Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’. Through his use of imagery, Frost effectively conveys the protagonist’s initial isolation as well as his eventual strength and resilience. With his images of an empty hall and a wide range of emotions, Frost demonstrates how the protagonist finds solace in the face of adversity. Moreover, with his image of farewelling his friends, Frost highlights how the protagonist is able to find courage and acceptance in the face of change.
Themes in ‘A Boy’s Will’
The poem ‘A Boy’s Will’ by Robert Frost consists of many themes which demonstrate the difficulties and resilience of the protagonist. One of the most prominent themes of the poem is love. Frost alludes to the concept of love throughout the poem, suggesting how it can provide one with solace during troubling times. For example, he writes, ‘And my love she wouldn’t think I’d taken flight,’ demonstrating the idea that loved ones can become a source of comfort. Additionally, Frost writes, ‘Yet in my heart, I shall think of thee still,/Till at last I wake too bright for common eyes,’ suggesting how love can bring one strength in times of struggle.
The theme of struggle is another important element of Frost’s poem. Early in the poem, Frost portrays the idea of struggle by writing, ‘Life is too much like a pathless wood,’ indicating the unpredictability and danger of life. Here, Frost conveys the idea that one must face danger in order to find meaning. Later in the poem, Frost writes, ‘a thousand turmoil and a thousand strife/A thousand times I wake my spirit’s strife,’ suggesting how the protagonist must endure hardship in order to remain strong. This reveals the importance of struggle to finding resilience and strength.
The themes of love and struggle are integral to Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’. Through them, Frost emphasizes how love can bring one comfort during difficult times and how struggle is necessary for finding resilience and strength. By demonstrating these themes, Frost highlights the difficulty and courage of his protagonist’s journey.
Symbolism in ‘A Boy’s Will’
Symbolism is another significant element of Robert Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’. By employing a variety of symbols, Frost helps the reader to gain a better understanding of his poem. For instance, Frost writes, ‘Life is too much like a pathless wood,’ indicating the protagonist’s journey is unpredictable and full of danger. Here, Frost uses the symbol of a pathless wood to portray the protagonist’s uncertainty. Additionally, Frost writes, ‘Make me a swan, when I shall die/To float upon some long still lake,’ suggesting the protagonist desires peace and tranquillity at the end of his life. This symbol conveys the protagonist’s longing for a reprieve from his struggles.
In addition to its use in conveying the protagonist’s wishes, the symbol of the swan has deeper implications. Frost’s use of the swan symbol is a reference to the ancient Greek mythological creature of the same name. This reference serves to emphasise the protagonist’s hopes of achieving immortality, suggesting they will still be remembered long after they have passed. Moreover, the symbol implies the protagonist’s fear of oblivion, demonstrating his longing for remembrance.
Symbolism is an integral part of Robert Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’. Through his use of symbolism, Frost effectively conveys his protagonist’s struggles and fears as well as his hope for peace and immortality. By employing symbols such as a pathless wood and the swan, Frost demonstrates how the protagonist struggles, longs for reprieve, and hopes for immortality in the face of adversity.
Structure of ‘A Boy’s Will’
The structure of Robert Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’ is an integral element of its success. Frost skillfully mirrors the progression of the protagonist’s journey by employing an eight line quatrain structure. The poem begins with two quatrains each featuring four lines, also known as couplets, which describe the initial struggles the protagonist must face. This is followed by two more quatrains featuring four alternating lines and couplets, which convey the protagonist’s newfound strength and courage. This mirrored structure effectively conveys the adversities and successes of the protagonist throughout the poem.
Frost’s structure allows him to portray the protagonist’s journey in an interesting and unique way. He begins the poem with a series of powerful images to demonstrate the protagonist’s initial isolation and struggle. Over the course of the poem, Frost then transitions to lines which illustrate the protagonist’s newfound courage and resilience. By mirroring the poem’s structure, Frost effectively conveys the protagonist’s challenges and strength throughout his journey.
The structure of Frost’s poem ‘A Boy’s Will’ is an integral element of the poem’s success. Frost skillfully employs an eight line quatrain structure to mirror the protagonist’s journey. By creating this mirrored structure, Frost is able to demonstrate the protagonist’s struggles as well as his eventual strength and courage. Ultimately, Frost effectively uses the poem’s structure to depict the protagonist’s difficult and rewarding journey.
