Robert Frost, &Ldquo;the Road Less Travelled”

Robert Lee Frost is considered by many the best American poet of the 20th century. His works, often set in rural England, explore the relationships between individuals and between people and nature.

Frost published his first books of poetry while living in England just before World War 1. This widely admired and honored American poet, teacher and lecturer wrote many popular and oft-quoted poems including “After Apple Picking”, “The Road Not Taken”, “Home Burial”, “Mending Wall” etc. “Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening” is generally regarded as Frost’s masterpiece. The poem was included in Frost’s collection New Hampshire (1923) for which he won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. It is Frost’s most famous poem.

Frost regarded nature as a beautiful but dangerous force, worthy of admiration but with its potential for tragedy and disaster. Many of his poems have humour, and focuses on individuals as they interact with nature. His writing often reflects his belief that poetry should contain contrasts and lead to a clarifying experience. His poetry reflects a dark side, yet reveals a strong faith. He often employed a narrative style in his verse. His poems often shift dramatically from a tone of playful to the passionate expression of tragic experience. His works show a great sympathy for the values of early American society.

Until the end of his life, Frost received many awards including honorary degrees from Oxford and Cambridge, special recognitions from the senate of the United States on his 75th and 85th birthdays, and four Pulitzer Prizes.