Analysis of The Life of Robert Frost – One of The Most Interesting Poets for All Times

Introduction

The poet that has often captivated the minds of many with his writings on nature, at least for my case this is true. I find Robert Frost to be one of the most interesting poets in all time; he seemed to have had a mind for the things of nature almost as if he was connected to the elements. The way he wrote about these settings in nature would make anyone think that he was present in the event almost spiritually. He suffered many losses during his life but somehow seemed to hold onto life with the most colorful view I’ve ever seen anybody have on life. I will continue walking through the life of Robert Frost.

Early Life and Education

Robert Frost spent his childhood in San Francisco until his father died of tuberculosis. Frost then moved with his mother and sibling to Lawrence, Massachusetts, so his mother could teach there. In 1890, Frost published his first poem based on William Prescott's "History of the Conquest of Mexico" (Prescott, 1843). He also published poems in his high school's bulletin. He enrolled in Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1892, and later at Harvard University in Boston, though he never earned a formal degree. After leaving school, he had several jobs such as teacher, cobbler, and editor of the Lawrence Sentinel. His first published work, "My Butterfly," appeared on November 8, 1894, in the New York newspaper The Independent.

Personal Life and Inspirations

He married Elinor Miriam White, who was a valedictorian in high school. She was a major inspiration for his poetry until her death in 1938. They moved to England in 1912 after they tried and failed at farming in New Hampshire. It was abroad that Frost met and was influenced by such contemporary British poets as Edward Thomas, Rupert Brooke, and Robert Graves. While he was there, he also established a friendship with poet Ezra Pound, who helped promote and publish his work (Pound, 1914).

Career and Achievements

When he returned to the United States in 1915, he had published two full-length collections: "A Boy’s Will" (Henry Holt and Company, 1913) and "North of Boston" (Henry Holt and Company, 1914). By the 1920s, he was the most celebrated poet in America, and with each new book, his fame and honor increased, including Pulitzer Prizes. He was a consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress from 1958-1959. He was thought of as a poet of traditional verse forms and metrics who remained steadfastly aloof from the poetic movements and fashions of his time. He was considered an author who searched and often meditated heavily on dark themes surrounding universal concepts. He was an artist mixing in layers of ambiguity and irony (Parini, 1999).

Thematic Elements in Frost’s Poetry

He is often thought of as working with a Puritan ethic, being a lyricist of nature voicing many things to the world others didn’t think were that important. He became a national celebrity, a great performer in the tradition of that earlier expert of the literary vernacular, Mark Twain. He was such an inspiration to many, becoming consumed by his surroundings and thoughts. Just like many other authors, when something was getting to him, he would put it down on paper to keep from dwelling on it. He was ahead of his time; while others went crazy with lunacy, he kept himself sane by freeing his mind of what drove so many people crazy.

Personal Struggles and Legacy

He had many life experiences to draw from; he lost a wife, children, and siblings. Mental illness ran in his family. He was a true hero overcoming his own demons and having to endure so much hurt. He endured these hardships to teach a generation how they might deal with the same problems that he faced in his life. He was comfortable with what he knew, drawing on the traditions of poets yet jumping out of boundaries, creating a way of his own, standing out against the gray.

Analysis of Notable Works

In his poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay," he is basically saying that nothing's perfect but only for a moment; life happens. Everything is constantly changing; the heartbeat of the world around us stops for nothing, but maybe just for a second, everything in life has a phase where everything is just right (Frost, 1923). In "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," he tells of the mystery and beauty that is in the forest, but we are too busy to stop and look at what is around us. We are too busy in this world to realize how precious our surroundings are; we are too blessed to even take a minute and breathe it in (Frost, 1923).

Conclusion

Robert Frost was much more of an artist than a poet; he knew what aspects of life to capture in his writings. He understood what was important before many of his peers could even realize what was precious. He was a marvel of an author, captivating the minds of many in a time when there was so much hurt. He was so much more than people gave him credit for; he knew what he wanted in life, and he didn’t let his problems stop him from reaching out and taking it. Robert Frost was a poet who knew how to put things down on paper far superior to his counterparts.

References

• Frost, R. (1923). New Hampshire: A Poem with Notes and Grace Notes. Henry Holt and Company.
• Parini, J. (1999). Robert Frost: A Life. Henry Holt and Company.
• Pound, E. (1914). Des Imagistes: An Anthology. The Glebe.
• Prescott, W. H. (1843). History of the Conquest of Mexico. Harper & Brothers.