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Robert FrostStopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1923A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Literary Context: Inspiration and the Intersection of Classical and Modern Poetry
Frost wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” while compiling his poetry collection New Hampshire, which would go on to win him his first Pulitzer Prize. This poem bridges the more formal, structured poetry of the 19th century and the more colloquial, free verse poetry that would take the 20th century by storm. While Frost uses a tight, sustained meter with a consistent rhyme scheme in a classical interlocking form, he also uses simple, approachable language. This gives the poem a timeless quality that allows it to fit neatly into a range of seemingly contradictory literary movements.
In addition, scholars have noticed similarities between lines from Frost’s poem and lines from other literary works. The line “He gives his harness bells a shake” (Line 9) is similar to “He gave the bridle-reins a shake” from “The Rover's Adieu” by Sir Walter Scott; “The woods are lovely, dark and deep” (Line 13) is reminiscent of “Our bed is lovely, dark, and sweet” from “The Phantom-Wooer” by Thomas Lovell Beddoes; and “And miles to go before I sleep” (Lines 15, 16) brings to mind “And I have many miles on foot to fare” from “Keen, Fitful Gusts” by John Keats.
These poets predate Frost significantly, so he would have been aware of their work. These lines might have been conscious or unconscious homages to Frost’s literary influences, taking their turns of phrase and transforming them into something new. The link between the dark woods and a sweet bed, in particular, gives new dimension to the poem’s thematic resonance.
Authorial Context: Frost’s Canon
Much of Frost’s work—in particular “New Hampshire,” the title poem of the collection in which this poem was included—focuses on Frost’s home and the life within it. This one, however, deviates slightly and instead focuses on his love of the natural world. It’s widely believed that “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” was transcribed from Frost’s real-life experience of traveling to a market a few days before Christmas in hopes of selling his farm’s produce. However, the days were difficult for everyone and he didn’t have any luck, so he returned through the woods to his family, empty-handed. At this point he felt dejected about not giving his family the prosperous Christmas they deserved, so he lingered in the snowy woods for a while.
Frost told this story to then-student Arthur Bleau, which was later corroborated by Frost’s daughter. However, scholars have disputed the romanticized poverty of this tale, believing the Frost family to be well-off even in difficult times. Even if Frost embellished some details in the name of a good story, the emotions captured in the piece would have come from a true, heartfelt place.
Frost also lived with his own depression and the mental illnesses of his family members. His sister Jeanie and daughter Irma were both hospitalized for mental illnesses, while his son Carol died by suicide. Many scholars see this poem as a metaphor for Frost’s suicidal tendencies and depression; however, it’s perhaps more likely that it represents his constant need to care for those around him, and his inner longing to set those responsibilities aside for just a little while.
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