Robert Frost is a well-known American poet, renowned for his legendary poetry that captures the cultural environment of New England during the early 20th century. But what other jobs did Robert Frost have aside from writing poetry?
Upon graduating high school at the age of 18, Frost took on several consecutive jobs in various fields in the early 1900s such as cobbler, newspaper delivery boy, teacher, and journalist. Later in life however, it was his poetic accomplishments that emerged as his most successful career.
Although his career as a cobbler was rather short-lived, it nonetheless played an important role in his journey. It gave him the financial resources to attend college on a part-time basis and pursue an education in literature. By doing so, Frost formalized his poetic potential and ultimately equipped himself to write professionally.
In the time between his retail job and college, Frost undertook a brief stint as a paper delivery boy. Here, he honed his distribution abilities and sharpened the acumen he used in ensuring the circulation of his poetry.
Frost then certified himself as a teacher in 1906, whereupon being granted a teaching certificate, he taught classes in a succession of schools, ranging from middle school level to college courses. His eighth grade class was especially fond of his teaching.
Finally, Frost branched out into journalism in 1907, writing for several different newspapers. This task marked the beginning of Frost’s portraiture of rural New England and its people. During his time writing for newspaper, he gathered local stories and honed the pastoral style so often associated with his poetry.
In retrospect, it is clear that the peak of Robert Frost’s career was writing poetry. However, the preceding jobs he undertook – cobbler, paper delivery boy, teacher and journalist – all played a crucial role in molding his cultural identity.
Cobbler Job
The most notable among Frost’s jobs was at a Boston shoe-making shop, an ordinary lace-making and cobbler job. In the 1890s, Robert Frost opted to take up a job in the Boston shoe-making shop and later confirmed to the world when he admitted that “I had to make a living, that’s why I worked in the shoe shop.” He managed to do both toil in the shoemaking workshop and still pursue studies at Harvard.
Frost did not enjoy his job, albeit a necessity, so he used it to scratch a few literary nails. He borrowed the cobbling materials from his workplace and used them to craft homely poems and even sketched some satires.
Frost’s enthusiasm for literature burgeoned when he got a job in a cobbler shop because prior to that he was an unemployed literary genius. Even with a minimum wage, Frost enjoyed the little victory of being employed as it helped him make ends meet.
Moreover, this job provided Frost with a chance to reflect on culture, class, and craftsmanship. He used to fantasize himself as a craftsman who was a part of a vastly successful but seedy organization, showing no reverence for individualistic urges.
This job offered a sense of purpose and worth, which otherwise was missing during his depression. This job set him up not only financially but also thematically, and provided the backdrop for some of his most significant works.
Teaching Job
Frost’s thirst for knowledge didn’t waver and by 1906, he had already attained a teaching certificate. Frost found joy in guiding youngsters and exposing them to literature, wordplay, and even mathematics. During the 1906–1909 period, Frost directed classes at various levels, from school to college.
One of his most famous classes was taught at Lawrence High School from 1906–1910. He taught languages and history to the eighth grade, with whom he developed a special bond. Compared to the other jobs Frost has undertaken, this was the field he was most attracted to as it kept him close to literature and allowed him to convey his wisdom and encourage young minds.
Frost used to lay out his detailed syllabus and assignment parameters to his students, and he educated them in the art of critical thinking. Additionally, the students utilized their creative abilities by crafting poems and reciting those in a dramatic fashion.
Frost instilled in his students the desire to express themselves and provided a unique outlook on life. As the dean of Lawrence High School was reported to have said, “Frost taught my eighth grade class the most important lessons of life: ethics beyond words, challenges without boundaries and exposure to a world of literature and language.”
Newspaper Delivery Job
In 1901, Frost took on the job of a newspaper delivery boy. His duties were to deliver the Sunday newspaper and upon delivering it, he was also expected to collect the money from the subscribers. He found his paper route near a nearby town and often got into heated debates with other paperboys who competed for the same job.
As a paper delivery boy, Frost answered to no one save his customers and managers. Such job was especially lucrative for Frost as it gave him some breathing space on the literary front; he was never overworked and his managers often granted him time to work on his own personal projects.
More importantly, the job also gave him the chance to converse with people from all walks of life, listen to their stories, and observe some of the idiosyncratic behaviors of the people – an experience that was valuable for his poetry.
The job also enabled him to garner knowledge regarding rural life and the world around him. Frost was often found making poetry out of his paperboy experience. Back then it was still a while before automobiles and even bicycles were introduced and much of the paperboy job was done on foot.
In the beginning, his feet were always aching, but as he ventured further and the ground became familiar, his strides became longer and the pace faster. The paper-route not only resulted in a pocket money but also gave him plenty of time to contemplate the sweet mysteries of life.
Journalism Job
Although most poets that time belonged to the well-educated upper levels of society, Frost took up a job as a journalist from 1907-1908. This job provided a regular income which Frost put to use in helping his family make ends meet.
He wrote about a variety of topics for different papers such as natural history topics, book reviews, and essays about local society figures. Frost would talk to the locals to find his stories and then compose and submit his works.
Such journalism works provided Frost with first-hand experience while studying and portraying rural New England. The ideas and stories he heard during these conversations also fed his creative streak that made itself evident in his varied poems.
Frost often wrote about problems such as the immigration issue in New England, literature, and local politics. His work often garnered attention of higher-ranked newspapers and even in the New York-based press.
During these years of working as journalist, he wrote articles with a pastoral tone, painting a vivid vision of the people and their stories – a style that would later become his trademark. The style and themes of his journalism added depth and complexity to his poetry.
Conclusion
At first glance, it may appear that Robert Frost’s foremost profession was being a poet, and his earlier career was limited only to cobbler, paper delivery boy, teacher, and journalist. However, these subsequent jobs were instrumental in giving him the experience and motivation to be an acclaimed poet. Even though his stint as a cobbler was short-lived, it gave him the financial resources to attend college. Similarly, Frost’s teaching job offered him the chance to educate younger generations and direct classes at various levels. Furthermore, Frost’s paper delivery boy and journalism job provided him with an opportunity to converse with people from all walks of life, listen to their stories, and get an insight into the rural New England life.
