How Authors Convey Their Identity: Shakespeare and Robert Frost

Introduction

In today’s generation, many turn to writing to express their emotions. When writing, people can explain any experience they have gone or are going through. Authors especially turn to writing; for instance, both Shakespeare and Robert Frost experienced the death of their children—yet their similarities end there. Authors convey their identity in their writing because of personal connections included, word choice, and tone. To commence, authors convey their identity when writing by including personal connections and experiences.

Shakespeare’s Personal Connection and Identity

In "The Seven Ages of Man" by William Shakespeare, line one of the poem states, "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare, 1623). The author continues by explaining each stage a man goes through in his life. Based on this, one can infer that the setting of this story takes place on a stage. Throughout his lifetime, Shakespeare had a background of enjoying theater and performing. This proves that Shakespeare most likely set the poem's setting as a stage because he had experience with it and could make personal connections to it. Furthermore, Shakespeare's profound involvement in theater allowed him to explore human experiences deeply, giving his writing a rich emotional depth that resonates with audiences even today.

Robert Frost’s Personal Connection and Identity

Robert Frost's poem states, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood" (Frost, 1916). He then continues to elaborate on the two roads. Based on this information, the setting of this story takes place in a forest. Robert Frost was born in San Francisco and lived in New Hampshire and Vermont for most of his life. Up until Robert’s death, he had lived on a farm property by the mountains in Ripton, Vermont. The farm was in an area surrounded by wilderness and nature. This goes to show why most of Robert's stories and poems have taken place in Vermont or forest-like areas. He connected these settings to his life because he could relate to it, having lived there for years. Frost's connection to nature is often seen as a reflection of his philosophical outlook on life, where each natural setting serves as a metaphor for human experiences and decisions.

Word Choice and Identity

Throughout the first stages of "Seven Ages of Man," William Shakespeare tells readers about a man's early years to older years. Shakespeare has been through most of the stages he explained and most likely included some of his personal experiences, such as lines where he states "unwillingly to school" or "made to mistress' eyebrow" (Shakespeare, 1623). Shakespeare describes these stages this way because he related to them or had witnessed them in some way. As one can see, personal connections are often included in writing to convey an author's identity. Additionally, the word choice an author includes in their writing can give them a sense of identity. According to "Seven Ages of Man," William Shakespeare uses words such as "jealous," "quarrel," and "whining" (Shakespeare, 1623). These are just a few of the many descriptive words Shakespeare has incorporated into his writing. Shakespeare's word choice allows readers to grasp a better understanding of the text and the identity Shakespeare is presenting for himself.

Robert Frost states, "And sorry I could not travel both" and "I took the one less traveled by...that has made all the difference" (Frost, 1916). The word choice put into each sentence shows Robert’s thoughts throughout the text. Word choice allows readers to observe his emotions and grasp a perception of his identity. "Seven Ages of Man" repeatedly uses figurative language, allowing readers to recognize Shakespeare and his writing. For example, line one of the poem states, “the world’s a stage” (Shakespeare, 1623). This metaphor, along with other similes like “sighing like furnace” or “bearded like the pard,” all contribute to Shakespeare’s identity. Clearly, an author uses word choice in text to convey their identity.

Tone and Identity

Furthermore, authors frequently convey their identity in their writing through tone. In line sixteen of "The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost states, “I shall be telling this with a sigh” (Frost, 1916). This shows that the author regrets the path he chose. The two roads in the poem represent life choices people must make. Robert Frost uses this poem to share his experience and express the decision-making of life or paths others will be faced with. According to “Seven Ages of Man,” the last scene of all ends the “strange eventful history, second childishness and mere oblivion” (Shakespeare, 1623). Based on this, one can see how Shakespeare’s tone allows readers to recognize his writing and mood. Throughout the poem, Shakespeare’s tone expresses his feelings and shows his identity.

In “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost states, “Two roads diverged in wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” (Frost, 1916). In the poem, Robert elaborates on life choices and decisions that one may experience. Therefore, based on this, one can see how Robert’s tone seems very reflective, and he seems to be more of a realist. This tone reveals Robert’s identity and displays his attitude toward life choices. It’s obvious that tone may drastically convey an author’s identity in a writing piece.

Conclusion

All in all, authors convey their identity in their writing through personal connections and word choice. An author’s experiences are often included throughout their writing because they can relate to it somehow. Word choice not only greatly affects the text itself but gives the author a sense of identity. Also, the tone an author uses helps convey an author’s identity through writing. Shakespeare and Frost—along with millions of other authors—each have identities that are perceived in various ways in the text.

References

Frost, R. (1916). The Road Not Taken. In Mountain Interval. Henry Holt and Company.

Shakespeare, W. (1623). The Seven Ages of Man. In As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII. First Folio.