The work of Robert Frost was greatly influenced by his life experiences, the nature that surrounded him, and his struggles with mental health. Born in San Francisco in 1874, Frost was a Pulitzer Prize winning poet and playwright whose most well-known works include ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’. His work often displays themes of nature, isolation, death, and love, depicting beauty even in darkness. Breaking away from the traditional structured sonnets, Frost utilized free verse in many of his works, making it easier for him to capture the ebb and flow of his emotions.
Frost’s early life had an influence on his writing style, as he wrote primarily about his personal feelings and life experiences. Growing up in a rather depressing atmosphere, Frost wrote of his struggles with his mental state, his search for religion and identity, and his feelings of detachment. He also wrote of his connection to nature and its influences on his life. The beauty of nature, oftentimes juxtaposed with darker elements like death or loneliness, was often seen in his work. His autobiographical works are some of his most famous, such as ‘Mending Wall’, that discusses his ideologies about property, ownership, and the limitations of language in communication.
In many ways, Frost’s life was shaped by the world he lived in. He grew up in 19th century America, which was marked by rapid progress and industrialization. This had a great effect on his poetry as he often wrote about the themes of change, loss, and personal growth. Frost’s works often embody a nostalgic yearning for a way of life that is being taken away by the prevalence of industry and the influence of technology. His poem ‘The Road Not Taken’, in particular, alludes to the feelings of uncertainty that come with the decisions we have to make in life and the consequences of them.
Frost’s personal struggles with depression and mental health had a great influence on his work. He often wrote about the themes of isolation, discord, and pain, which were reflective of his own struggles. During his life he worked to keep his mental health in check, and wrote of his continuous search for meaning and understanding in the darkness. Many of his works such as ‘Acquainted with the Night’ and ‘Desert Places’ depict his inner struggle and his attempt to reach closure and understanding. Frost embraced his mental illness and wrote many poems about it, weaving beauty out of the darkness.
Work of Other Poets
Frost was greatly influenced by other poets as well, such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. Signature techniques of these poets, such as Dickinson’s use of slant-rhyme, Longfellow’s use of narrative poems, and Whitman’s use of free-verse, helped shape the style of Frost’s poetry. Frost’s works often display elements of the literature of these poets, making it clear how much their works impacted his own.
Frost’s Use of Nature
Nature and its beauty often served as a source of inspiration for Frost’s work. Being located in the rural parts of New Hampshire, he had an endless supply of natural beauty to draw from. Many of his works showcase his connection to nature, such as ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’. He wrote of the beauty of nature and of the lonesome beauty that could be found in the solitude of nature.
Love in his Work
Frost’s works often display themes of love and loss, with a focus on the ephemeral nature of love. Love was a recurring theme in his work and can be seen in poems such as ‘Fire and Ice’, ‘Birches’, and ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’. Through these works Frost explores the idea of love as a fleeting thing and how it can bring beauty out of darkness or despair. He delved into the idea of love being a difficult but rewarding experience, and wrote of the pain that comes with loving.
Rural Life Influence
Frost had a deep love of his New England home and the rural life he experienced there had a great influence on his work. Living in the rural parts of northern New England gave him a strong appreciation of nature and love of the outdoors. His work oftentimes discussed the beauty of rural life, offering a positive outlook on the life of a farmer and their connection to their land. His poem ‘Mending Wall’ talks about the importance of the wall separating a farmer’s property, and how it is a metaphor for communication and understanding. His works often depicted a romantic love of the countryside and nature.
Religion Influence
Frost was a deeply spiritual man and his poetry often explored the idea of finding solace in the darkness of life. Growing up in a strict Calvinist family, Frost had a deep understanding of the concepts of suffering and redemption. This can be seen in works such as ‘God’s Garden’ and ‘A Prayer in Spring’, in which he writes of the beauty of nature and the things in life to be grateful for. Frost used religion as a source of hope, writing of humanity’s capacity for grace and understanding.
Politics Influence
Frost was politically active throughout his life and his work was often shaped by his political views. He was well versed in history, and his works often contain elements of his political ideologies. In his poem ‘Mending Wall’, Frost expresses his views on property, ownership, and communication. He also wrote of his beliefs in democracy and freedom of speech, often using metaphor and poetic language to express his views. His political works often served to deepen the understanding of his audience and create a sense of understanding and camaraderie.
Philosophy Influence
Frost was a deeply philosophical man and his works often contain deep explorations of the human condition and the concept of fate. Many of his works explore the idea of free will and the choices people make in life. He wrote of the consequences of our decisions, and how our fate is intertwined with that of nature and the Universe. One of his most well-known works, ‘The Road Not Taken’, is about the choices we make in life and the consequences that come with them.
Relationships Influence
Relationships had a great influence on Frost’s writing and he wrote of a wide range of different relationships. He wrote of the difficulty of romantic relationships, of the importance of family, and of the power of friendship. He wrote of feeling both acceptance and rejection, particularly in regard to his family and the women he loved, often presenting love as a source of pain and beauty. He wrote of his loneliness and his longing to find connections and understanding in the world around him.
