Even though Robert Frost was born on March 26th, 1874, in San Francisco, California, many claim him as a rolling stone of New England. Composed of four siblings, Frost was a renowned poet and essayist, renowned for his astute observations of rural life and his use of regional dialect. He was awarded four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry throughout his lifetime and was a major influence on the development of modern poetry. However, before all of this, Frost wrote and published his first poem.
Frost had a proclivity for writing from a young age, winning a school competition in grammar school with a poem he wrote. It wasn’t until 1894, however, when Frost published his first poem in the New York Independent. The poem, “My Butterfly,” was an ode to a single butterfly. Various critics had mixed opinions on this poem, yet it allowed Frost to begin his publication career.
Following his original publication, Frost wrote a handful of small pieces prior to finally self-publishing his first collection of poems in the year 1895. This collection was entitled A Boys’ Will. Through it, Frost was able to finally produce poetry that showcased his newfound creativity and ability to discourse on the subject of life and its complexities.
It wasn’t until Frost left America and moved to England that he was able to hone his writing craft and gain a reputation as a proficient poet. In England, he received more recognition for his works and enabled him to eventually start his own publishing company, The Henry Holt & Co., in 1934.
Although Frost published his first commercial work in England, America was able to reclaim him as its own. Upon Frost’s return to the United States in 1915, he continued to publish works and display his beloved New England in his poems and works.
In all, Robert Frost’s first poem paved the way for further publications and future accolades. It give us insight as to what his future works would bring and allowed him to show the world his unique take on American culture, life and its multifaceted complexity.
Early Life And Formative Years
Robert Frost was born in San Franciso, California to Isabelle and William Prescott Frost, Jr. But, the Frost family soon moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts after the death of Robert’s father, when he was only 11 years old.While Frost and his family were transient throughout his early life, his education and his early poetic endeavors were rooted in Lawrence, Massachusetts. In his teenage years, Frost wrote and won a competition for a poem he wrote in school. This was encouraging and winning the competition gave Frost the confidence to continue writing, which eventuated in “My Butterfly.” His celebrated works and publications would follow much later in his life.
Although Frost had the inspiration to write and publicly spoke on the subject of literature, poetry was not a mainstay throughout his younger years. Before the publication of his first poem and collection, Frost held various jobs, such as newspaper delivery boy, teacher, cobbler and farmhand. In his brief attempts at higher education and the pursuit of practical roles throughout his twenties he fittered a great deal and developed an understanding on the hardship and struggle of life. This would become a major focal point in Frost’s later works and unique works.
Creative Development Of Robert Frost
Between 1912 and 1915 Robert Frost left America and resided in England. This time abroad opened a variety of new ideas and opportunities for Frost. He had the opportunity to advance his writing craft and socialise in the artistic sphere. It was there that Frost met and conversed with some of his mentors and peers, who, upon the publication of his works, gave Frost acclamation and acclaim in the world of poetry.
Those same years abroad also allowed Frost to develop a creative style that was based on connection of the everyday experience and the world, likened to the New England surreal experience. This style helped him forge some of his more poignant poetry, such as The Road Not Taken, and hone some of his more melancholic compositions, such as Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening. Both of these works produced a sense of the everyday and connected Frost to his audience.
Furthermore, the influence of Imagism – a direct presentation of perceivable experience – and a strict adherence to syllable and rhythm allowed Frost to produce works of a complex nuance and style. His combination of British poetic form and style fused with the subtle understanding of simplicity and aesthetics he gained in New England allowed him to move away from the complexity of modern writing and produce poetry that was unique in its composition.
Publication Of Robert Frost And Success
Although A Boys Will was the first collection of Frost’s published works, it wasn’t until 1920 until he achieved true success and recognition. After an extensive process of submissions and failures, Frost was finally able to garner the attention of Henry Holt and Company and publish a collection of work that was more in line with his own ideals of aesthetic and meaning. This collection was called Mountain Interval, and it gained him public appeal and recognition.
From this point on, Frost continued to submit works to Holt and eventually founded his own company that published a variety of works in his stead. On top of the creation of his own company, Frost also was able to secure four Pulitzer Prizes for various works throughout his lifetime; the first one being awarded for new Hampshire in 1924, an additional for Collected Poems in 1931, another for A Further Range in 1937, and a final one for A Witness Tree in 1943.
Influence Of Robert Frost And Present Day Appreciation
Robert Frost had a vast amount of influence on the history of poetry and American Literature. He was able to demonstrate the complexities of life’s journey and amalgamate the contemporary culture of New England in his works. He was able to create narratives that contained both colloquial phrases and alternative writing alike. Through his personal viewpoint and recognitions of the difficulties and joys of life, Frost was able to create a distinct position for himself and influence an entire generation of literature.
To this date, Frost’s works are still appreciated and admired by modern day poetry. Themes of recognition and appreciation of the mundane aspects of life, mixed with an admiration of the natural world, are still staples thrusts in modern poetry. On top of this, Frost’s direct approach to the subject of life and his ability to convey ontological thoughts with contemporary aesthetics is still praised by modern day poets and readers of literature alike.
Literary Tools Utilised By Robert Frost
When publishing his works, Frost had a unique and distinct approach to writing. He combined the metaphor carefully and made use of imagery to create complex pictures of the scenes he was describing. Not only did he utilise poetic conventions, such as metaphors and puns, but he also had an earnest and direct approach to writing that allowed his works to become relative and appeal to all audiences.
He also had a skilled use of form and structure. With an affinity for form, Frost was able to create works that resonated and emphasised the natural sounds of comprehension. This artistic choice in form was a departure from the former romanticism and Victorian writers who utilised more abstruse writing formats.
On top of form, Frost was able to make use of rhythm and meter in his line and verse compositions. Through a reliance on meter and a choice selection of off-rhyme, Frost was able to conjure images and an ebb and flow that was reminiscent of natural speaking patterns.
Themes Represented In Robert Frost’s Works
Robert Frost, through an evident appreciation of nature, was able to create works that embodied specific themes. His understanding of the natural world and his awareness of the inner struggle of life guided his writing and allowed him to establish himself as a sophisticated and meaningful poet.
The primary themes in his works are that of the inner struggle with accountability, free will, individualism and the recognition of life’s complexities. Frost created works that were centred on the procession of life itself, and reinforced the idea of the journey in life. He personified the wonders of the natural world and juxtaposed them alongside the mundanity of everyday life, to allow the audience to garner a sense of the societal order.
Other themes and motifs in Frost’s works are death, the idea of the individual in pursuit of life and the nature of relationships and companionship. His work had a sense of mystery due to his use of symbolism and his constantly self-revering views on life. Frost was a true master at creating works that invoked curiosity, as well as a self-reflective and introspective consideration of the meaning of life.
