Robert Frost, a renowned 20th-century poet, was born in the year 1874 in San Francisco, California. His parents, William Prescott Frost Jr. and Isabelle Moody Frost, were both natives of Pennsylvania. Although some suggest that he was born in claimed in a 2003 Biography to have been born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the earliest known accounts confirming his birthplace are in internal records of the city of San Francisco.
Young Frost came from humble beginnings and faced several financial difficulties as he grew up. His father, a Harvard-educated journalist, worked at a San Francisco newspaper and died in 1885 when Frost was just 11 years old. Though he was a difficult man, his interest and fascination in writing literature was passed down to Frost and it became his passion.
Frost and his family moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts after his father’s death, where he went to elementary school and later to Lawrence High School. He was also taught by some well-known private tutors who are often credited with positively influencing his style of writing. One notable tutor was John Holmes, who exposed Frost to the Post-Romantic and Transcendentalist movements of the time, which heavily influenced his poetry.
In 1892, Frost started attending Dartmouth College, though after only one semester he dropped out, and did odd jobs for a few years before he decided to focus on writing poetry as a full-time career. In 1895, Frost sent a letter to the editor of the San Francisco Examiner, who then proceeded to publish some of his poetry. This was his first experience being published and it marked the beginning of his successful career in writing poetry.
Frost has been closely associated with New England and is considered one of the region’s most iconic writers. He also traveled and lived abroad in countries such as England and France, and was honored numerous times with influential awards and honorary degrees. He was named poet laureate of Vermont and received many of the highest honors for literature such as the Pulitzer Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the President’s Gold Medal. He died in the year 1963, at the age of 88.
Accomplishments
Robert Frost, a nature-inspired poet born in San Francisco, is one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. His literary career reached international acclaim in the years between 1900’s to the 1960’s. He was celebrated and honored numerous times for his work and influence, including presidential honors and various honors in literature. He was even named Vermont’s poet laureate. One of his most renowned accomplishments was being the recipient of four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry throughout the span of his life and work.
Frost’s popular reading in public meetings, such as the famous 1959 inauguration of President Eisenhower, was one of the event’s highlights, despite the fact that nearly thirty other poets had been invited to read. Frost is also well-known for his poetic philosophy about life — a philosophy that is embodied in his iconic classic poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ (which later was named one of the most-read college texts in the United States). His famous plan of “taking the road less traveled” has since become an iconic symbol of individualism, a mainstay of popular culture, and a timeless encouragement of personal growth.
Frost’s work often explored themes of nature, the individual’s choices, paths traveled and left behind, the simple pleasures of everyday life and the deeper mysteries of life. He successfully combined these themes with the narrative rhythm of traditional New England folk poetry and often wrote in light verse, a few of which would be more contemporary, inspired by twentieth-century topics and events. His last two volumes of verse, A Witness Tree (1942) and An Incomplete Book of Verse (1957), contain some of his best-known poems and are considered masterpieces of American literature.
Publications
Throughout his lifetime Frost published numerous books and poems, many of which are still widely-read and publicised today. His first book ‘A Boy’s Will’ was published in England in 1913 and was highly received by critics. This was followed by North of Boston (1914) and Mountain Interval (1916). During the 1940’s his books of poetry included A Further Range (1936), A Witness Tree (1942), and Steeple Bush (1947).
His books New Hampshire (1923), which includes his famous poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, and West-Running Brook (1928) which has a collection of classic, subtly moving works, are considered two of his most important works. His later books included, In The Clearing (1962) which is a mixture of lyrical and more conceptual poems, and of course, Complete Poems of Robert Frost (1949) which is an anthology of all his work in one volume.
In many of his books of poetry, Frost was known for his conversational style of writing that appeared to be free-flowing, but in reality, had a careful start and perfect finish. He often wrote in traditional forms such as sonnets, ballads, and other types of verse, many of which turned out to be classic pieces of literature. His works are still taught in classrooms today, and continue to inspire leading modern-day poets throughout the world.
Influence
In addition to his famed books of poetry, Frost was also a great influence on many 20th-century poets, most notably British poet Edward Thomas. Through their friendship, Frost learned more about European traditions and English rural life and was able to incorporate these influences into his work. Frost was also greatly admired by the literary powerhouses of his time, including T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, who highly praised and promoted his work.
Frost’s influence can also be seen in today’s popular culture, as his iconic poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ is often quoted when referring to the concept of individualism and making own’s own path in life. His famous phrase “That has made all the difference”, from his poem ‘Fire and Ice’, is used or referenced in popular film, TV shows and video games. His poetry continues to be a source of comfort and inspiration for many modern-day poets throughout the world.
Legacy
Frost is widely recognized as one of the greatest American poets of the 20th century, and his legacy will remain untouched by time. His works were often full of the darker aspects of life, such as loneliness and loss, but he succeeded in presenting these topics with a sense of simplicity and optimism. Throughout his life he received numerous honors, presidential recognitions, and honorary degrees for his literature. He is truly an iconic figure of American literature and will go down in history as one of the greatest poets of all time.
Popularity
In addition to his literature, Frost also became popular throughout his lifetime for his public readings. His witty and comical presentations always amazed his audience, leaving them in awe at his mastery. In literary circles, he is remembered for his remarkable imagery, style of writing and thought-provoking poetry. He wrote over 5,000 lines of some of the most well-known and respected poems of the 20th century and would often single one of his verses out and read it to an audience.
Frost also achieved success in the growing medium of radio, and he was the first poet to ever perform his works on the airwaves. This was considered a major milestone in introducing poetry to the masses, as Frost enabled people to access his work through the popular medium of radio. His works and influence is still remembered and admired today, and his work will continue to leave an everlasting impact for generations to come.
