Critical Analysis of "Fire and Ice"
Critical Analysis of "Fire and Ice" One said, "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." Four time Pulitzer Prize winning American poet, teacher, and lecturer, Robert Frost quoted this. Frost was born in 1874 and died in January of 1963. He lived in New England for practically his whole life, only moving to England for a short time to pursue his writing career in which he wrote many popular and oft–quoted poems. In his poem, "Fire and Ice", Frost uses imagery, diction and metaphors to create the themes of desire and hate, nature and its meaning, and opposites. Tom Hanson figures that the speaker is in first person in "Fire and Ice". (Hanson 27) The speaker simply expresses an opinion instead...show more content...
(Fire and Ice 58) Frost wants the reader to realize that neither fire nor desire is always bad. (59) Both are necessary in life. It is only when the fire is uncontrolled that it grows and consumes all that is around it. (59) The very vagueness of the opening word, "Some," gives the poem a feeling of vagueness or speculation. (Meyer 62) Saying that ice "would suffice," or be sufficient, is a rather casual way to refer to the destructive powers it holds and it implies that such an event will not actually come to pass. (Fire and Ice 58) "Suffice" implies that something is complete or has run its course but it could still do more or could still be continuing in some way. (63) "Ice" technically ends the world of the poem. (Leger 114) Not only does it become the last verbal image, but the last three letters of the verse spell "ice". (114) The ice of Frost's poem never seems to go away. (Meyer 64) It can "suffice" because there is always something more to it, something preserving, chilling and imperishable. (64) In Frost poem, "fire" and "ice" are repeated twice for emphasis. (64) This is a gesture where the poet draws particular attention to an idea, or an image, almost as if he is repeating it in case the reader missed it or didn't get it the first time. (64) "Ice" is rhymed with "twice" almost as if the poet is trying to let us in on his little joke of
What Does Fire And Ice Mean
Fire and Ice
Simple words do not always convey simple thoughts. This is the same with complex words connoting complex thoughts. Words should not be judged but analyzed. They are just there as a framework; you as the reader decide the picture. Even though Robert Frost uses rather simplistic words in his poem "Fire and Ice," he creates a much deeper message by revealing truths about the universe.
Starting with the title, "Fire and Ice," it is clear that these two elements are completely different in idea and meaning. Fire tends to imply heat, flame, and combustion while ice relates to frozen popsicles, refrigerators, and snowmen. Instead Frost uses these words regularly throughout the poem not to represent warmth or coldness but to symbolize human emotion. For instance, fire could symbolize a deep passion or an urge and ice could connote a type of hatred or bitterness. In lines one an two of the poem, Frost states, "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice." In these two...show more content...
In lines three and four Frost says, "From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire." This shows that at some point in his lifetime, Frost had such a positive experience when encountering desire that he agreed with the people who thought the universe would end by fire. This shows that love is Frost's internal fire and that he wants the world to end in compassion and amity. Frost then declares in lines five through nine, "But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also great and would suffice." In contrast to his earlier belief that the world would end in ice, Frost says that if the world had to die twice, he would not mind if it ended in ice. Frost is revealing to us that ice represents hate and is equally as powerful and destructive as hate. Now that is a scary
Fire And Ice By Robert Frost Essay
Everyone has come to the crossroad of a comparison before, whether it be comparing light to dark, smooth to rough, or hot to cold. The theme demonstrated in Frost's poem, Fire and Ice, has a strong backing because it compares completely opposite things, but these two objects are also known to have alternative meanings/purposes. In my opinion, Robert Frost's poem is comparing the two different emotions, love and hate, through the comparison of fire and ice.
The rhyme scheme is aba, abc, bcb. This has a huge impact on the reader because every line has a specific rhyme to it to make larger connections. For example, fire and desire are the first rhymes, which makes me connect those two things together.
Considering the title of the poem, Fire and Ice, the two are complete opposites which makes us know what our poem is going to be a comparison of two extremely different themes. The whole poem is about a comparison of how the world...show more content...
When I think of fire, I think of heat and passion. Fire could mean that the world will end with flaring disagreements. But the other meaning could be passionate love. Red is a symbol for fire and for love, so could fire symbolize love as well. This line is full of imagery because it makes me think of the world going up in flames. Whereas the contrast in the next line makes me think of the Ice Age. In a different opinion, some people think the world will end through the power of ice. These differences are so contrasting that they must be separated onto two lines to create emphasis of their contradicting elements. When I think of ice, I also think of an ice cold heart or a heartless person. Ice could also mean that the world ends with hate because in lines 6–7, Frost wrote that he knew enough about hate that he could tell that it would lead to the downfall of the world. This goes back to the themes of opposites and comparison. Hate and love are complete opposites, similar to fire and
Fire And Ice By Robert Frost Tone
The title of this poem is ''Fire and Ice'' it is written by Robert Frost and is in a first person point of view. A group of people discuss how the world will end, either in fire or in ice and the narrator shares his personal experiences of "ice'' and ''fire''. There are many ways the words in this poem can be interpreted, at first glance it seems like Frost is talking about the end of the world but it also can be about the power that human beings have to harm and destroy one another. When reading this I kept seeing the world ending in a great ball of fire like a nuclear war or a meteor turning everything to ashes and a new ice age also bringing destruction to all living things but I was taking the words to literal. You might have heard the quote "ice cold'' I think Frost meant to say that people can be filled with such hate that eventually a person becomes emotionless leading me to believe that maybe he was suffering from overwhelming distress from a recent relationship and had brought up these thoughts about the world.
Frost uses a mix of iambic tetrameter and dimeter and has a rhyme scheme of A–B–A, A–B–C, and B–C–B....show more content...
When the speaker considers the two choices, ending in fire or ice, he immediately connects fire with "desire" and ice with "hate." This suggests that the poem is about more than just the end of the world; it's about contemplating the ultimate destructive emotion in life: is it desire or is it hate? The speaker himself notes that desire is powerful and would be a quick end. However, the ending of the poem focuses the reader on the more subtle destructive power of hate: "To say that for destruction ice / Is also great / And would suffice" (7–9). The understatement of "would suffice" in the last line emphasizes the subtly of hate's power: it destroys in less obvious and more sinister
Fire and Ice Robert Frost Commentary
'Fire and Ice' – Robert Frost
In the poem 'Fire and Ice' Robert Frost explains how the world will end by either fire or ice. The poet uses these two primal elements to serve as a metaphor for the destructive powers of the universal human emotions. 'Desire' which he associates with fire, and 'hate' which he associates with ice. The poet uses the first person singular and concludes that from personal experience he sides with the people who believe the world will end in fire. But, after analysing his experience with hate, he concludes that ice would be equally as destructive. Frost effectively communicates the central focus of the poem which is how desire and hate are...show more content...
This is quite a contrast as the poet is describing two unique emotions with such lack of emotional/descriptive words. The poet uses this technique to effectively convey how people undermine the destructive powers of the human emotion, people think that the world may end in a nuclear winter/ice age (ice) or global warming/incinerate (fire) but ignore the realities of how excessive desire and hate can ultimately lead to destruction.
The straight forward tone is demonstrated in the first line where the poet uses the word 'some' to explain the different views on the demise of the world. 'Some' is a very vague and generalised word and Frost also uses this to portray the lack of knowledge people have about the true powers of the human emotions. In addition, the poet uses the word 'suffice' to end in the poem in an ambiguous and powerful way. This particular word indicates the narrator's opinion that the word ending in ice would also be enough. The fact that this word is very casual and generalised not only demonstrates how both emotions are equally as destructive as one another, but also how the end of the world will always be a mystery. No one will ever know because maybe it is that people do not realise enough the murderous consequences of human emotions.
Furthermore, Frost is very clever in that he uses powerful descriptions of the elements 'fire' and 'ice' to help emphasise the destructive traits of desire
Analysis of Robert Frost's Fire and Ice Essay
Analysis of Robert Frost's Fire and Ice
For Robert Frost, poetry and life
were one and the same. In an interview he said, 'One thing I care about,
and wish young people could care about, is taking poetry as the first form
of understanding.' Each Robert Frost poem strikes a chord somewhere, each
poem bringing us closer to life with the compression of feeling and
emotion into so few words. This essay will focus on one particular poem,
the meaning of which has been much debated due to the quantity of words
used, or the lack there–of.
There have been many readers of Frost's poem "Fire and Ice", thus
being...show more content...
Dante's vision of
Hell was cone shaped, made up of increasingly tight circles. Fire was
used occasionally in tormenting the sinners throughout Dante's travel into
Inferno, until the ninth ring was reached. Upon entering the ninth ring, a
comparatively blameless giant helped Dante and Virgil into the pit.
Torrents of wind had a group of sinners, giants, frozen into a solid lake
of ice. A three headed demon, Lucifer, at the center of the lake, was
causing the sinners, and himself, to be frozen in place for eternity by
the frenzied beating of his wings.
The understated opening two lines in Frost's poem, "Some say the
world will end in fire, / Some say in ice," at first seem merely to
suggest the biblical and scientific predictions about the end of the
world: an apocalyptic holocaust or a new ice age. However, as figurative
representations of desire and hatred, fire and ice embody the very system
of Aristotelian ethics Dante employs in arranging The Inferno: Sins of
reason are worse than sins of passion. Frost associates fire with the
Fire And Ice By Robert Frost Meaning
What are your thoughts on the end of the world? Do you believe in such a thing as the world itself coming to an end? These are complex questions to contemplate. Just thinking of it makes your brain whir with emotions; whether they're excitement or terror is up to you.
Robert Frost had these feelings when he penned the poem Fire and Ice. Analyzing and researching about the poem further I discovered that the piece was derived from the divine comedy Dante's Inferno. When considering the deeper meaning, it aids in opening the door to the obscure explanations of each line. Frost sought to show the world as an individual, his life, as well as civilization itself. I can relate to this because I've often considered how my life would come to an end. I know that sounds morbid, but it is a curious thing to ruminate.
Frost wrote the poem with nine lines, which sprouts the idea that he wrote it to showcase the nine circles of...show more content...
Frost is touching on the subject of 'ice' in the last part of his poem. He uses that paradox, to separate the two ideas. "I think I know enough of hate; To say that for destruction ice; Is also great; And would suffice." Those that commit the sin of betrayal are confined to the ninth circle, which is the frozen lake, as stated in Dante's Inferno.
Through Fire and Ice, Frost tells his deepest thoughts about how civilization could come to an end, whether it be through greed or betrayal. They darken the world on a daily basis and we all could be consumed by either fate. I witness each sin every day, it happens unknowingly and knowingly. I can agree that everyone has committed a sin and has acknowledged the qualities, to say that it is easy to be corrupted by hate or lust. Having the world end is a scary thought but its either by fire or by ice, and either would
Fire And Ice By Robert Frost Essay
Despite being such a short poem, Fire and Ice packs quite a punch. Considering that poems have such a limited space to begin with to get their point across, it's a credit to Frost that he can make such an impact in a fairly confined space. The structure of the poem is quite interesting. Its masculine rhyming scheme uses only 3 different sounds; 'ire', 'ice' and 'ate'. To illustrate the rhyming scheme goes A, B, A, A, B, C, B, C, B. Whist this doesn't fit a classic poem form the piece still has an organised structure. The nursery rhyme quality the poem has creates a dreamy atmosphere.
Due to variation of line length in the poem the meter alternates between tetrameter with four feet per line, and dimeter, or two beats per line. These variations in line length slows the reader down, creating a relaxing, almost hypnotic effect. In total there are six tetrameter and three diameter lines. For both the tetrameter and diameter lines the beats are iambic. Therefore all the lines end with a stressed beat. More emphasis is placed on the nouns of each line "fire" "ice" desire", shifting the reader's attention to the focal point of each line.
Alongside this affective use of meter, Frost has implemented use of sound to grab the reader's attention. Each rhyme...show more content...
However there fire and ice analogy can also be linked to how a person may live their life. In the lines "from what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favour fire" the speaker is firstly saying that they would prefer to perish via fire; but, also that they prefer to live a life of and passion. However the lines "I think I know enough of hate, to say that for destruction ice, is also great" in this case may represent suffering. The fact that ice is cold, hard and can cause pain is likened to the challenges people face. This shows that Frost has also experienced hardship and
Essay on Robert Frost's Poem Fire and Ice
Robert Frost's Poem "Fire and Ice"
If you had a choice on how the world would end, what would you choose? Would your choice to be go painfully but fast? Perhaps you would rather it be so slow and painless you do not even realize it is happening? That's what I believe Robert Frost's poem Fire and Ice is meant to express. Although the poem is short, it holds a very interesting question to think about. The question is which way would you rather the world come to an end. There are two choices.
The first two lines in Fire and Ice express the choices, "Some say the world will end in fire, / Some say in ice.'; I feel that he uses the term fire not to hold the direct meaning of a burning flame, but to represent the punishment...show more content...
They must have what they want, and they must have it now. That is one of the main purposes of a loan. Someone wants a car, but does not want to take the time to save the money. They instead borrow the money and have to pay it back, of course at a higher cost with interest. I can honestly say that a huge majority of people are in debt. They could not wait. They had to have something now. I feel that the quote explains this by using the word "desire."; It presents the fact that people are not willing to wait, if the world is going to end, let it happen. In my interpretation, the narrator agrees with this due to the line "I hold with those who favor fire.";
"But if it had to perish twice,"; shows that although the narrator would rather get it over fast, he believes there is another way that is not such a bad option. The alternative to fire, which is ice, also has its advantages. The line, "I think I know enough hate,"; shows that the violence of fire is caused by hate and evil. "To say that for destruction ice / Is also great,"; represents the fact that there is a calm, slow way to end things. For the world to end in ice, it would take a great deal of time. Perhaps happening so slowly no person would even notice. It could be happening as you read this paper. Ice represents a numbing effect. Think of rubbing an ice cube across your arm for a few minutes. At first you can feel it, but as time goes on, you feel nothing.
Fire And Ice By Robert Frost Literary Devices
Destruction of the World When authors construct a poem, they use imagery, symbolism, and theme to give their work meaning and value. Authors use different literary devices to create different moods and emotions. Using imagery helps to give readers a visual representation of what is occurring. Symbolism is used to make you think deeper about the meaning of the story. Theme is used to better understand the characters, conflict, emotions, and the plot. Robert Frost uses examples of these literary devices in his poem, "Fire and Ice". One literary device Robert Frost uses is imagery. The use of imagery helps to give the readers a visual idea of what is happening in the story. The author uses the words fire and ice to describe the world ending in
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost Essay example
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
The poem Fire and Ice is a poem written by Robert Frost, and published in 1923. This is a nine–line poem:
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I have tasted of desire,
I hold those who favor ice.
But if I had to parish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice. This is one of Robert Frost simplest poems. When I initially read this poem, the first thing that came to my mind was the biblical theory. In the second line "Some say in ice" furthered my theory. In the Bible it is told that God destroyed Earth with water the first time he came to get his people (the...show more content...
I was thinking that Frost wanted to basically put a question on our minds, If you had to choose a way to die would you choose fire or ice? In lines seven through nine, "To say that destruction ice is also great and would suffice". To me this is saying you would have to choose the lesser of the two evils. Weighting the pros and cons of the two. Asking which one is better for you, a cold slow death or a hot slow death. But in the end of the poem Frost is saying the no matter which one he picks they are both going to give you the same results, death. To analyze the poem better I took each word as if it symbolized a certain characteristic. In lines three and four, "From what I've tasted of desire I hold those who favor fire" it led me to believe that Frost was trying to use desire as a metaphor to fire. Desire, can usually be used a negative or a positive manner depending on the context it's use. In the poem I think that Frost is using it in a negative sense, because he is uses words like end, perish, and destruction in the poem. Negatively the word desire can mean the drive to win or receive something at any cost, the urge for power, which is very destructive. In lines six and nine "I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also great and would suffice". Saying that ice is a metaphor to hate. The word hate is worldly known to have a negative condensation. Hate is also
Explication Of Fire And Ice
I have decided to write about my favorite Robert Frost poem "Fire and Ice". It is a joy to read this poem by Frost because it reminds me of my grandmother. This poem was one of her favorite poem's , that she kept in a book on her bedside table, that she read so often. Fire and Ice is about the worlds fate and the curiosity of it being destroyed by either fire or ice. The narrator leads the reader to the first conclusion, and of it being destroyed by fire, therefore the narrator tells his experience with passion and desire. The narrator finally gives his account of what ice would be like to destroy the earth. He gives his personal account of hatred. Although it seems like there can only be one choice, the narrator does seem to understand
Fire And Ice Robert Frost Analysis
Robert Frost is one of the most popular and critically respected American poets of the twentieth century. Frost places a great deal of importance on Nature in all of his collections, some of the author's works that represent this are "Fire and Ice," "The Road Not Taken," "Nothing Gold Can Stay," and "A late Walk." Frost focuses on dramatic struggles in the natural world in order to inspire deep metaphysical thought.
In "Fire and Ice," Frost outlines the familiar question about the fate of the world, wondering if it is more likely to be destroyed by fire or ice. This is similar to another age–old question: whether it would be preferable to freeze to death or burn to death. People are on both sides of the debate, and Frost introduces the narrator to provide his personal take on the question of the end of the world. The author writes, "From what I've tasted of desire" (Frost, "From what").The narrator first concludes that the world must end in fire after considering his personal experience with desire and passion, the emotions of fire. However, after considering his experience with "ice," or hatred, the narrator acknowledges that ice would be equally destructive. The end of the poem reveals that the question of whether fire or ice will destroy the world is a flawed and ineffective way of thinking about these two elemental forces. The poem relates human experiences such as desire and hatred with two forces of nature: fire and ice, reflecting Frost's style of writing.
Robert
Fire And Ice By Robert Frost
The great debate of whether the world will end in a fiery ball of destruction or a frozen wasteland has baffled the minds of many people. A man named Robert Frost has written a poem called "Fire and Ice" that describes his thoughts on how he would prefer to leave this world. Upon reading this poem, the reader can derive two distinct meanings of fire and ice; one being of actual fire and ice destroying the world, and the other having symbols for the fire and ice, such as fire being desire or passion and ice being hatred and deceit. Although this poem is one of his shortest poems with only nine lines, it is also one of the most famous works that he has ever created. The poem "Fire and Ice" was written in the early 1920 's and was published in 1923. World War I was the biggest war of its time and was meant to be the war that ended all wars. In the year 1914, an Austrian Archduke named Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. This incident sparked many other events that will lead to the outbreak of the biggest war that the world has ever seen. World War I was fought primarily between the Central Powers (Germany, Austria–Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire) and the Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan), lasting four long years and ending in November of 1918. At the end of World War I, nearly twenty–one million soldiers had been wounded and the war cost the lives of roughly 19 million people; 9 million being soldiers, and the other 10
Most people know the poem "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost. It is pretty famous. But do most people know the meaning of this unique poem? What does Robert Frost mean when he writes "if the world had to perish twice?" Although it is short, "Fire and Ice" is a puzzling poem filled with words that hold a meaning that we have to unlock.
In the poem, Frost is the narrator and he is speaking to the readers. The issue that Frost discusses is if the world will end in a blazing fire or in freezing ice. Based on the poem, Frost believes he would perish by fire because in verses 3 and 4 he wrote: From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire. But in verses 5, 6, 7, and 8 Frost wrote: But if it had to perish twice, I think I know...show more content...
Ice is being rhymed with twice and suffice, even though suffice does not exactly rhyme with ice. The "–ate" part is rhymed with hate and great.
The only alliteration that can be found in this poem is in verse 4 when Frost writes "favor fire." In verses 1 and 2, he writes "some say" which can also be considered an alliteration. An assonance I think I've found is "I hold with those who favor" because of the repeating "o" in the words.
This poem is typical of the poet's style because Frost writes a lot about human nature and compares people to nature itself. He judges people and society as a whole. He also uses a lot of literary devices in his poems like metaphors. Frost describes nature in beautiful ways in his poems and "Fire and Ice" is just like the rest of them. It isn't a departure of common themes.
Frost affects the tone through word choice because he uses the word "perish" to give emphasis of the world vanishing. Instead of using words like disappear or leave, he uses perish because it gives the poem a stronger meaning. He also uses the word "destruction" to give the poem an intense feeling. By using this word, he makes the poem deeper and stronger than it already is.
This poem matters because it talks about how humans are ruining the world. The fire, or human desire, will take over because humans are becoming greedy and selfish, fulfilling their own desires even if it means the world falling apart. The ice, or hate, will take over
Fire And Ice Essay
Dayshja–Ashlee Rivera–Lopez
Dr. Kelly
English 1110.02
09 November 2014
Fire and Ice: The end of self through desire and hatred
In Robert Frost's "Fire and Ice" the perception of the world end becomes a debate between the speaker and his personal preference. In this poem he speaker in the poem is contemplating the way he would like to perish and he is debating between perishing in fire or ice. Through symbolism and comparison of the two powerful forces, it is implied that the emotion of both hatred and desire can be just as destructive of a force when associated with the elements fire and ice. His use of a first person speaker contributes to the figurative representation of the poem and the way that Frost uses destruction, in terms related...show more content...
The feeling of desire is a powerful force, but it can also be seen as a completely common yet irrational emotion. John Serio makes a point to say that Frost implies that desire is a "more common" thing to occur but he also goes on to say that it is a "lesser sin." In aspects of desire as a sin, Serio makes the assertion that, while in comparison to Dante's Inferno, "sins of reason are worse than sins of passion" which can correlate to the irrationality associated with this emotion (Serio). When one is passionate about something and has a longing or desire for it, they tend to go directly after what it is that they want. They are persistent. The feeling of desire can cause a person to act in an unreasonable manner and this occurs without thought. Desire is an emotion that does not happen knowingly. One can desire another object or person without consciously thinking about why they may be attracted to that specific item. These feelings happen in the heat of the moment, followed by unpredictable actions. Frost uses the element of fire as a representation of this emotion because both possess the quality to get out of control and move within its own force. Once that flame of desire is started it is almost impossible to extinguish it. If not put out in correctly it will just continue to spread and the natural pull that comes with the fire will cause one to get too close and eventually they will burn in the
Robert Frost’s Fire and Ice Essays
Robert Frost's Fire and Ice
Fire and Ice is a popular poem written in 1923 by Robert Frost. It is a very well known poem and is used in many high schools and colleges today. Many students along with various critics read this poem as
Frost's idea as to how the world is going to end. People also take this in a Biblical sense, because the passage that God states the next time he destroys the world, it will be in fire. He blatantly states in the first lines, "Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice", which leads many critics to believe the simplicity of this poem was to be taken as simple and to the point. However, the poem was written in the roaring twenties, which is why I believe Frost had a deeper meaning attached...show more content...
The hatred like ice is always the same. Constantly cold and hard like a bad winter. However, the love, or fire, is continuously burning and the passion and desire only get bigger. Love is consuming while hate is cold and stops everything.
The metaphor of fire and ice is very powerful. It is easy to take this poem in the simplest form, because of the reality of the idea of the world being destroyed in fire or ice. When taken as a metaphor, the simple words suddenly mean something very profound. Yvette Sangiorgio states, "Both of these extremes destroy the soul of humanity and the individual, and the metaphors of fire and ice fit" (Sangiorgio par.
3). Through this she is now comparing the world to the human soul.
Fire and ice control much of rhyming scheme in this poem. Thus making the word hate, stand out. Although 'great' rhymes with hate, it seems as if this word is out of place with the rest of the poem.
Frost's 'Fire and Ice' is written in nine lines. He ends this poem in iambic dimeter when the general pattern is of iambic tetrameter (Serio par. 1). The word lyric 'I' is somewhat forced onto readers and leaves an autobiographical point. Many critics think that through these two ideas, Frost was modeling his poem after Dante's Inferno (Serio par.
6). The structure and the
Fire And Ice
Five Great Pieces of Thought
I think Robert Frost is a understandable, but yet an unconventional poet. Frost wrote in his own style, and as a result, he took quite a bit of heat from the critics of his period. Frost has an elegant style of writing descriptive and understandable poems. I am going to tell you about the five best pieces he has ever written.
First off, "A Considerable Speck" is a unusual poem about Frost noticing a tiny speck on his paper. Upon further observation, Frost notices that the speck is actually a extremely tiny mite, struggling to avoid being crushed by Frost's pen. Frost appreciates the insect's battle to stay alive and leaves it on his paper. Frost allows the mite to sleep on his paper...show more content...
On the front porch the current owner stands frozen, half by fear and half by curiosity. The poem is told through the eyes of the current resident of the house. The owner somewhat scared of his unwanted company. However, the owner's feeling toward the couple seems to turn towards the end of the poem. It almost sounds as if he feels sorry for them, when he mentions how they stand together quietly. The theme of "Ghost House" seems to be that love can survive anything, even when the body does not. Although the couple has passed away, they still remain together. Another theme in this poem could be not to judge a book by its cover. At first the house's owner seems to fear the ghosts, but he eventually comes to respect the relationship that they still share. This poem is filled to the verge with alliteration. For example: small dim summer star, low–limbed tree, and mosses mar (Silberner 109). Summer is said in the second line of the poem with being repeated in the second to last stanza and also in the fourth stanza the word say is repeated three times within two lines (Silberner 109). The rhyme scheme of "Ghost House" is AABBA CCDDC and that pattern continues for every stanza (Silberner 110). The alliteration and the rhyme scheme of this poem make it flow very smoothly.
"Fire and Ice" is a poem about how the world will end. Frost is debating with himself as to whether or not the world will be destroyed by fire or ice.
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
Critical Question: Is there a theme to the poem "Fire and Ice" that many can still relate to today? The popular poem "Fire and Ice", was written in in 1920. This poem was very controversial when it was first published. This poem seems to deal with the question "How will the world end?" Many scientists have different opinions on not only when the world will end, but more specifically how it will end. This poem implies that when dealing with the end of the world, it will end in one of two ways; in fire or in ice. Nearly 100 years later, this topic is still discussed today. When reading this poem written by Robert Frost, many only take into consideration the literal meaning of his words, and do not take the time to analyze the meaning behind them. Just as the topic of the world ending is still discussed today, the meaning behind the words of this poem create an interesting conversation in today's society as well. What was truly meant by Frost's poem "Fire and Ice?" Was it written with only science in mind? Or, is there further meaning behind the text that many can relate to today? This poem is a prime example of Frost's talent as a writer. Although it is only nine lines long, Frost is able to portray great meaning in those short nine lines. Frost expresses the idea of different personalities and shows symbolism for relationships in this poem. Frost's poem means so much more than deciding how the world will end. Frost suggests that you can tell one's personality by
Essay“Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost
If you had a choice on how the world should end, what would you decide? Would your choice be to go painfully but fast or slow and painless? That's what I believe Robert Frost's poem "Fire and Ice" is meant to express. Although the poem is short, it holds a very interesting question to think about. What way would you prefer the world to end? There are two choices. In his poem "Fire and Ice", Robert Frost compares and contrasts the two destructive forces: fire and ice. In the first two lines of the poem he presents two options for the end of the world, "Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice". I feel that he uses the term fire, not to hold the direct meaning of a burning flame, but to represent the punishment something can...show more content...
In the first line of the poem, "Some say the world will end in fire", this is where I compared the stanza to my assumption. In the Bible, the book of Revelations also says that the next time that God comes for his people; he is going to destroy the world with fire. This is the biblical aspect of the poem. For Robert Frost, poetry and life are one and the same. In an interview he said, "One thing I care about, and wish young people could care about, is taking poetry as the first form of understanding". Each Robert Frost poem strikes a chord somewhere; each poem brings us closer to life with the compression of feeling and emotion in such few words.
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost | Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.