“The Road Not Taken” is a poem by Robert Frost published in 1916.
The literal interpretation of this poem believes it is about individualism and being your own person.
I personally believe that decisions have to be made by the person himself/herself and should not be regretted later in life. One has to strive in order to see the other part of the mountain.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
October 19th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Actually, Frost made a comment that he actually wished he took the road MORE traveled by. So, the tone of the poem is one of regret. I think I read that in Wikipedia.
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October 19th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
ya, he might have thought that.but it can be both ways..right?
“And that has made all the difference”
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October 20th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
really bring back memory. i last read it 6 years ago.
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October 24th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
this reminds me of my SPM literature…….^^
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October 28th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
No, i don’t think the tone of the poem is one of regret, though some may have commented so. “I shall be telling this with a sigh” , people sigh for various reasons.. apart from the usual heaviness , we sigh of relieve as well or perhaps reminiscence. Considering the the writer’s success (he was ask to speak at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy) and his many awards ( the Pulitzer Prize ) . and therefore i believe the closing “And that has made all the difference.” was one written with a smile of satisfaction.
ha ha, perhaps you guys can put up Rudyard Kipling’s “IF” next time
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