two roads diverged in a yellow wood essay

Poems & Poets

Robert Frost: “The Road Not Taken”

Our choices are made clear in hindsight..

BY Katherine Robinson

Robert Frost wrote “ The Road Not Taken ” as a joke for a friend, the poet Edward Thomas . When they went walking together, Thomas was chronically indecisive about which road they ought to take and—in retrospect—often lamented that they should, in fact, have taken the other one. Soon after writing the poem in 1915, Frost griped to Thomas that he had read the poem to an audience of college students and that it had been “taken pretty seriously … despite doing my best to make it obvious by my manner that I was fooling. … Mea culpa.” However, Frost liked to quip, “I’m never more serious than when joking.” As his joke unfolds, Frost creates a multiplicity of meanings, never quite allowing one to supplant the other—even as “The Road Not Taken” describes how choice is inevitable. 

“The Road Not Taken” begins with a dilemma, as many fairytales do. Out walking, the speaker comes to a fork in the road and has to decide which path to follow:

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 … 

In his description of the trees, Frost uses one detail—the yellow leaves—and makes it emblematic of the entire forest. Defining the wood with one feature prefigures one of the essential ideas of the poem: the insistence that a single decision can transform a life. The yellow leaves suggest that the poem is set in autumn, perhaps in a section of woods filled mostly with alder or birch trees. The leaves of both turn bright yellow in fall, distinguishing them from maple leaves, which flare red and orange. Both birches and alders are “pioneer species,” the first trees to come back after the land has been stripped bare by logging or forest fires. An inveterate New England farmer and woodsman, Robert Frost would have known these woods were “new”—full of trees that had grown after older ones had been decimated. One forest has replaced another, just as—in the poem—one choice will supplant another. The yellow leaves also evoke a sense of transience; one season will soon give way to another. 

The speaker briefly imagines staving off choice, wishing he could “travel both / And be one traveler.” (A fastidious editor might flag the repetition of travel / traveler here, but it underscores the fantasy of unity—traveling two paths at once without dividing or changing the self.) The syntax of the first stanza also mirrors this desire for simultaneity: three of the five lines begin with the word and . 

After peering down one road as far as he can see, the speaker chooses to take the other one, which he describes 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. 

Later in the poem, the speaker calls the road he chose “less traveled,” and it does initially strike him as slightly grassier, slightly less trafficked. As soon as he makes this claim, however, he doubles back, erasing the distinction even as he makes it: “Though as for that the passing there / Had worn them really about the same.” 

Frost then reiterates that the two roads are comparable, observing—this time—that the roads are equally untraveled , carpeted in newly fallen yellow leaves: 

And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. 

The poem masquerades as a meditation about choice, but the critic William Pritchard suggests that the speaker is admitting that “choosing one rather than the other was a matter of impulse, impossible to speak about any more clearly than to say that the road taken had ‘perhaps the better claim.’” In many ways, the poem becomes about how—through retroactive narrative—the poet turns something as irrational as an “impulse” into a triumphant, intentional decision. Decisions are nobler than whims, and this reframing is comforting, too, for the way it suggests that a life unfolds through conscious design. However, as the poem reveals, that design arises out of constructed narratives, not dramatic actions. 

Having made his choice, the speaker declares, “Oh, I kept the first for another day!” The diction up until now has been matter-of-fact, focusing on straightforward descriptions and avoiding figurative language. This line initiates a change: as the speaker shifts from depiction to contemplation, the language becomes more stilted, dramatic, and old-fashioned. This tonal shift subtly illustrates the idea that the concept of choice is, itself, a kind of artifice. 

Thus far, the entire poem has been one sentence. The meandering syntax of this long sentence—which sprawls across stanzas, doubling back on itself, revising its meaning, and delaying the finality of decisiveness—mirrors the speaker’s thought process as he deliberates. The neatness of how the sentence structure suddenly converges with the line structure (this sentence is exactly one line) echoes the sudden, clean division that choice creates. 

As the tone becomes increasingly dramatic, it also turns playful and whimsical. “Oh, I kept the first for another day!” sounds like something sighed in a parlor drama, comic partly because it is more dramatic than the occasion merits: after all, the choice at hand is not terribly important. Whichever road he chooses, the speaker, will, presumably, enjoy a walk filled with pleasant fall foliage. 

The poem’s tone also turns increasingly eerie, elusive, and difficult to grasp. As he does throughout the poem, the speaker makes a confident statement (“I saved the first for another day!”) only to turn back and revise it: 

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,  I doubted if I should ever come back. 

Already, the speaker doubts he’ll ever return. Writing, as he was, for his friend Edward Thomas, Frost was perhaps thinking of one of Thomas’s most famous poems, “ Roads .” Thomas, who was Welsh, lived in a country where roads built by the Romans two millennia previously were (and are) still in use. Some, now paved over, are used as highways, remnants of a culture that has long since vanished and been supplanted by another. In “Roads,” Thomas writes,    

Roads go on  While we forget, and are  Forgotten like a star That shoots and is gone. 

Later he imagines roads when people are absent: 

They are lonely  While we sleep, lonelier  For lack of the traveller   Who is now a dream only. 

“The Road Not Taken” appears as a preface to Frost’s Mountain Interval , which was published in 1916 when Europe was engulfed in World War I; the United States would enter the war a year later. Thomas’s “Roads” evokes the legions of men who will return to the roads they left only as imagined ghosts: 

Now all roads lead to France And heavy is the tread Of the living; but the dead  Returning lightly dance. 

Frost wrote this poem at a time when many men doubted they would ever go back to what they had left. Indeed, shortly after receiving this poem in a letter, Edward Thomas's Army regiment was sent to Arras, France, where he was killed two months later. 

When Frost sent the poem to Thomas, Thomas initially failed to realize that the poem was (mockingly) about him. Instead, he believed it was a serious reflection on the need for decisive action. (He would not be alone in that assessment.) 

Frost was disappointed that the joke fell flat and wrote back, insisting that the sigh at the end of the poem was “a mock sigh, hypo-critical for the fun of the thing.” The joke rankled; Thomas was hurt by this characterization of what he saw as a personal weakness—his indecisiveness, which partly sprang from his paralyzing depression. Thomas presciently warned Frost that most readers would not understand the poem’s playfulness and wrote, “I doubt if you can get anybody to see the fun of the thing without showing them & advising them which kind of laugh they are to turn on.” Edward Thomas was right, and the critic David Orr has hailed “The Road Not Taken” as a poem that “at least in its first few decades … came close to being reader-proof.” 

The last stanza—stripped of the poem’s earlier insistence that the roads are “really about the same”—has been hailed as a clarion call to venture off the beaten path and blaze a new trail. Frost’s lines have often been read as a celebration of individualism, an illustration of Emerson’s claim that “Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.” In the film Dead Poets Society , the iconoclastic teacher Mr. Keating, played by Robin Williams, takes his students into a courtyard, instructs them to stroll around, and then observes how their individual gaits quickly subside into conformity. He passionately tells them, “Robert Frost said, ‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—/ I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference.’” 

Far from being an ode to the glories of individualism, however, the last stanza is a riddling, ironic meditation on how we turn bewilderment and impulsiveness into a narrative: 

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. 

Again, the language is stylized, archaic, and reminiscent of fairytales. Frost claims he will be telling the story “somewhere ages and ages hence,” a reversal of the fairytale beginning, “Long, long ago in a faraway land.” Through its progression, the poem suggests that our power to shape events comes not from choices made in the material world—in an autumn stand of birches—but from the mind’s ability to mold the past into a particular story. The roads were about the same, and the speaker’s decision was based on a vague impulse. The act of assigning meanings—more than the inherent significance of events themselves—defines our experience of the past. 

The fairytale-like language also accentuates the way the poem slowly launches into a conjuring trick. Frost liked to warn listeners (and readers) that “you have to be careful of that one; it’s a tricky poem—very tricky.” Part of its trick is that it enacts what it has previously claimed is impossible: the traveling of two roads at once. 

The poem’s ending refuses to convey a particular emotional meaning; it playfully evades categorizations even as it describes divisions created by choices. Its triumph is that it does travel two emotional trajectories while cohering as a single statement. We cannot tell, ultimately, whether the speaker is pleased with his choice; a sigh can be either contented or regretful. The speaker claims that his decision has made “all the difference,” but the word difference itself conveys no sense of whether this choice made the speaker’s life better or worse—he could, perhaps, be envisioning an alternate version of life, one full of the imagined pleasures the other road would have offered. 

Indeed, when Frost and Thomas went walking together, Thomas would often choose one fork in the road because he was convinced it would lead them to something, perhaps a patch of rare wild flowers or a particular bird’s nest. When the road failed to yield the hoped-for rarities, Thomas would rue his choice, convinced the other road would have doubtless led to something better. In a letter, Frost goaded Thomas, saying, “No matter which road you take, you’ll always sigh, and wish you’d taken another.” 

And, indeed, the title of the poem hovers over it like a ghost: “The Road Not Taken.” According to the title, this poem is about absence. It is about what the poem never mentions: the choice the speaker did not make, which still haunts him. Again, however, Frost refuses to allow the title to have a single meaning: “The Road Not Taken” also evokes “the road less traveled,” the road most people did not take. 

The poem moves from a fantasy of staving off choice to a statement of division. The reader cannot discern whether the “difference” evoked in the last line is glorious or disappointing—or neither. What is clear is that the act of choosing creates division and thwarts dreams of simultaneity.  All the “difference” that has arisen—the loss of unity—has come from the simple fact that choice is always and inescapably inevitable. The repetition of I —as well as heightening the rhetorical drama—mirrors this idea of division. The self has been split. At the same time, the repetition of I recalls the idea of traveling two roads as one traveler: one I stands on each side of the line break—on each side of the verse’s turn—just as earlier when the speaker imagined being a single traveler walking down both roads at once. 

The poem also wryly undercuts the idea that division is inevitable: the language of the last stanza evokes two simultaneous emotional stances. The poem suggests that—through language and artifice—we can “trick” our way out of abiding by the law that all decisions create differences. We can be one linguistic traveler traveling two roads at once, experiencing two meanings. In a letter, Frost claimed, “My poems … are all set to trip the reader head foremost into the boundless.” The meaning of this poem has certainly tripped up many readers—from Edward Thomas to the iconic English teacher in Dead Poets Society . But the poem does not trip readers simply to tease them—instead it aims to launch them into the boundless, to launch them past spurious distinctions and into a vision of unbounded simultaneity. 

Katherine Robinson earned a BA from Amherst College, an MFA from The Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in The Kenyon Review, The Hudson Review, Poet Lore, The Common and elsewhere. Her critical interests include the influence of mythology and bardic poetry on contemporary poetics, especially in the work of Ted Hughes , and her essays have been published...

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ explores life’s choices, opportunities, and the ensuing lingering regret of untaken paths.

Robert Frost

Nationality: American

His highly accessible work made him famous in his lifetime.

Key Poem Information

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Central Message: Regret lingers as we take on life's choices, shaping our journey amidst uncertainty

Themes: Desire , Disappointment , Journey

Speaker: Unknown

Emotions Evoked: Anxiety , Confusion , Pain , Regret , Stress , Worry

Poetic Form: Quintain

Time Period: 20th Century

Robert Frost's 'The Road Not Taken' captivates readers with its exploration of choice and regret as it continues to resonate deeply with readers while proving its lasting appeal by tapping into the timeless and universal human condition.

‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost ( Bio | Poems ) is quite a popular poem; unfortunately, however, its popularity comes mainly from the simple act of misreading. With this poem, Frost has given the world a piece of writing that every individual can relate to, especially when it comes to the concept of choices and opportunities in life.

A majority of the time, this poem is quoted and used with an interpretation that is not exactly “correct”. The popular belief is that Frost meant for this poem to be about hope, success, and defying the odds by choosing a path well, “less traveled by.” On the other hand, if the poem is reviewed, it is quite obvious that it has fairly the opposite connotation .

It is Robert Frost’s first poem in his book “Mountain Interval” (1916). A popular, pleasantly misconstrued poem since its release, its simplicity and way with words demonstrate the skill of Frost’s pen.

Consider the following points when reading the poem

• Poet's  context :  Frost's close friendship with British writer Edward Thomas influenced the poem's creation. During Frost's time in England from 1912 to 1915, he and Thomas often took walks together, and the poem's inspiration came from an anecdote during one of these walks when Thomas was indecisive about which road to take. When Frost sent this poem to Thomas in a letter in 1915, he took it personally and enlisted himself in WWI; he was killed two years later in the war. It is significant to note the poem's origins and connection with such a tragic incident.
• Changes in Republished Version:  Frost's revisions in ' The Road Not Taken ' between its 1915 publication and its 1916 version in  Mountain Interval  reflect subtle shifts in language. The 1916 version, commonly used today, replaced "marked" with "kept" and swapped a comma in line eighteen for a dash. Frost often emphasized that this poem is tricky. Try to understand the significance of these alterations, interpreting how changes likely deepen the poem's complexity, suggesting nuanced shifts in meaning.
• Speaker 's perspective :   The poem's speaker embodies the turmoil of regret, often lamenting rejected choices. Interpreting their psychological state can yield diverse interpretations. Frost's speaker's struggles invite readers to reflect on their own experiences; relating the poem to one's own experiences can foster a deeper understanding of the poem's concerns and popularity.
• Exploring Parallels and Intertextuality :   Frost's poem's popularity prompts curiosity about its potential influence on Harry Turtledove's short story , ' The Road Not Taken ,' published in 1985. A comparative analysis between the two could analyze if the poem's exploration of choice, consequence, and fate influences the story's themes. Researching whether Turtledove read Frost's poem or borrowed the title can shed light on the potential intertextuality.

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Explore The Road Not Taken

• 3 Detailed Analysis
• 4 Structure
• 5 Literary Devices
• 6 Tone and Mood
• 7 Symbolism
• 9 Historical Context
• 11 Similar Poetry

‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost ( Bio | Poems ) describes how the speaker struggles to choose between two roads diverging in the yellowish woods on an autumn morning.

In the poem, the individual arrives at a critical juncture in his life, arriving at crossroads at last near “a yellow wood.” As per him, the paths are equally well-traversed and yield anonymous outcomes. The individual comforts with a thought about returning, be if his path is unsuitable for him, yet in hindsight, he’s aware of the futility of such thought. Since his current path will bring upon separate paths in itself, disallowing any consequent reversal. The individual concludes on a melancholic note of how different circumstances and outcomes would have been, had it been the “other” path.

The Poem Analysis Take

Expert Insights by Jyoti Chopra

B.A. (Honors) and M.A. in English Literature

Despite acknowledging the two paths' equality or interchangeability, the speaker anticipates future retellings where they claim to have taken the less traveled path. The discrepancy between the speaker's initial observation and their anticipated future narrative underscores the human tendency to reinterpret past events to align with one's desired narrative, hinting at the psychological phenomenon of memory distortion wherein memories undergo reconstruction during recall, often to fit desired identities and self-perceptions of who individuals are. Frost's speaker's projection of a future narrative exemplifies this phenomenon, revealing the intricate interplay between memory, identity, imagination, and narrative construction in shaping one's perception of reality, developing a dynamic of subjective and objective reality. The poem shows that our choices might shape our lives, but our perception of those choices shapes our reality regardless of objective truth. Most importantly, the speaker prognosticates his future recollection of the event, acknowledging the forthcoming retelling of this moment. This self-awareness, juxtaposed with recognizing the identical nature of the two diverging paths, further accentuates the intricate workings of memory distortion while hinting at the power of fate or predetermined paths, echoing determinism philosophy and the dilemma of choice and freedom, raising questions about the extent to which humans truly possess agency.

Robert Frost’s poetic masterpiece is arguably the most infamously misunderstood poem as of yet. Marrying elements of form and content, arresting artistic phraseology and metaphors , the poem is mostly read without being understood. The archetypal conundrum is the primary attraction of the poem, readers instantly relate to their personal experiences.

Forks and woods are used as metaphorical devices relating to decisions and crises. Similar forks are representative of everlasting struggle against fate and free will. Since humans are free to select as per their will, their fate is unknown to them.

‘The Road Not Taken’ actually steers clear of advising on selecting a definitive path. Frost’s take on this is slightly complicated. The grassy roads and yellow woods represent the present as the individual views from a future perspective. This self-realization is pathetic and ironic in itself. The future self will regret first his decision about taking the road less traveled on. In hindsight, his regret is everlasting in this case point.

Detailed Analysis

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;

‘A Road Not Taken’ opens with strong imagery , because of the diction used to depict two physical roads separating from each other in “a yellow wood.” It is observably a forest that is showcasing the colors of autumn.

Line two is hasty to display the theme of regret, by revealing that the individual is “sorry” before he even decides which road to take. We basically find ourselves observing a very important moment, where he has to make a decision that is evidently difficult for him.

Lines three through five, express that the individual is trying to see as far as he can down each road, to help him decide which one he should choose to take.

Let’s thoroughly analyze the lines and their meaning below.

Lines 1–2

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both

The first two lines of this stanza introduce the dilemma that every human faces, not once, but multiple times in his or her life; the dilemma of choice. We as people go through many circumstances and experiences in our lives, and one of them is choosing between two (or more) paths.

This is experienced literally: in the roads we take and the routes we walk daily, and figuratively: when we come to points in our lives where we must make decisions for our next steps, based on the opportunities presented to us. And like the character in ‘The Road Not Taken,’ oftentimes, we are disappointed that we cannot hold on to, and experience the consequences of every opportunity that is presented to us. In order to gain some things in life, we must let others go.

Lines 3–5

And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;

By having the character in the poem examine the roads ahead of him, Frost is emphasizing that we all try our best to guess what lays ahead for us in every opportunity that we are presented in an attempt to find some control and later comfort over our final decisions. We like to take our time in order to make informed decisions so we can justify our choices when the regret of missing out on the other “roads” starts to haunt us.

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,

In this second stanza, lines six through eight: the individual in ‘The Road Not Taken’ finally makes a decision and chooses a road that he thinks and believes is better, because it looked like not many people had walked on it before.

However, in lines nine and ten, he is quick to add that the other road looked equally used in comparison to the one he chose, so it really was not as less traveled as he was telling himself.

Lines 6–7

Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim,

These lines are important because they clarify the common misunderstanding that one road was less traveled than the other since the character clearly states that both roads were “really about the same.” The diction in this stanza portrays the uncertainty of the character as he tries to justify to himself that his decision is the right one for him; and much like anyone else, he is trying to realistically weigh the outcomes of both roads.

Lines 8–10

Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,

The important idea to note in these lines is that the character claimed the road he chose was better because it “wanted wear” meaning that it was tempting him. He felt that the road he chose “wanted” to be walked on by him. This underlines the nature of people in general, that we will always choose the path which seems attractive and is of interest to us, even if both paths have the equal potential of getting us to wherever it is we are headed.

That said the word “want” has historically been used to represent a lack of something. For example “the house was in want of repair” so perhaps the suggestion here is that the path is overgrown because it is less travelled.

Either way no matter where we end up, and how informed, tempting, and satisfying our choices are, we will always wonder about the “what ifs” and the “could have beens” of the other opportunities that we left behind.

Stanza Three

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.

In the third stanza, Robert Frost ( Bio | Poems ) mentions in lines eleven and twelve that at the moment that this individual was making his decision, both paths were nearly identical. No one had stepped through to disturb the leaves on both roads.

Line thirteen is an important point in ‘The Road Not Taken’ as this is when the individual finalizes his decision of leaving the other road, for perhaps another time.

Lines fourteen and fifteen give us a glimpse of his doubts. He honestly confesses to himself that it’s highly unlikely he will come back to travel this other road because he knows as he moves forward he will continue to find other paths taking him further and further away from this point, where he is standing at the moment.

Lines 11–12

And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.

The lines show us that this character is truly being honest with himself, as he makes the crucial decision of which road to take. His honesty is a reality check as well as a means of making a final decision. He notices that both choices lay equally in front of him and none of these choices have been “trodden black”.

Sometimes in life, when we reach a fork, we are able to make quick decisions based on what we learned from other people’s experiences. These experiences then leave marks in the choices that we have, these marks then form our bias towards or against that path. When we encounter choices in our lives where we find that the leaves are not “trodden black” by what we learned from the people around us, it becomes harder to decide between them, just like the situation of the character in ‘The Road Not Taken’ .

Lines 13–15

Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

After making his decision, he exclaims that he will leave the first choice for another day. Then he honestly tells himself that if he lets this road go now, there is no coming back. There are many defining decisions in our life that shape our future and sometimes when we select an option in these moments, they change the course of our life and there’s no turning back. That is where the regret of not exploring our other options disturbs us.

Stanza Four

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.

In this last stanza, lines sixteen and seventeen, the individual predicts that one day far into the future, he knows will tell the story of this decision that he is now making.

Lines eighteen and nineteen expose that he intends to lie and claim he took the less-traveled road. In reality, both were equally traveled.

Finally, the last line expresses that the individual is also planning to claim that his choice to take this less traveled road made all the difference, in where he will be standing at the time.

Lines 16–17

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence:

These lines of the last stanza highlight the nature of our regrets. When it comes to tough decisions in our lives, we always know that no matter what we finally choose, eventually, we will regret not being able to try the possibility that was left uncharted by us.

In this stanza, the character is already imagining the regret he will feel and decides that he will not be honest when he retells the story of his decision, as it will not validate his selection of the road if he showcases his regret by stating that an equal opportunity could have landed him elsewhere in life.

Lines 18–20

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

He decides he will tell people he chose the road that was “less traveled by” to come across as a person who took a chance and succeeded in life. In reality, the character is trying to convince himself that when he shares his life experiences and distorts the truth, it will seem that taking this road “made all the difference”.

This teaches readers that they never know where life will take them, so preplanning what the end of the road looks like for themselves, and building regret is silly especially if they haven’t even started the journey in the first place. Life is about the paths you do choose to walk through, not about “the road not taken.”

Robert Frost ( Bio | Poems ) has used an interesting style in ‘The Road Not Taken’ . He works within the form, but at times, the form works within his style. Using variation and his brand of words, Robert Frost’s poems followed a unique composition. At times, he created forms to suit his poetry.

He has a general tendency to work within and without boundaries, carving memorable, identifiable, and idiosyncratic poetry. In his early years, he perfected the art of “sound of sense”, bringing raw sensory perception to a human mind. The sound of words forms imagery due to the form of words and sound of sense.

Robert Frost ( Bio | Poems ) has penned the poem in the first-person point of view . So, it’s a lyric poem . It comprises five verses encapsulated in four stanzas . So, there are a total of 20 lines in the text. Let’s have a look at the rhyme scheme and meter of this piece.

Rhyme Scheme

This poem follows a set rhyme scheme. In each quintain , the rhyming convention employed is ABAAB. It means that there are two sets of rhymes . The sound with which the first line ends occurs again in the third and fourth lines. While the second and last lines rhyme together.

For example, let’s have a look at the rhyme scheme of the first stanza.

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 ;

In the first line, “wood” rhymes with the words, “stood” and “could” present in the third and fourth lines. The second line ends with “both”. For rhyming, the poet chooses the word “undergrowth” in the last line. The same scheme is followed throughout the poem. There are no such exceptions.

Each line of this piece consists of nine syllables. Some lines contain a syllable more or less than the average syllable count. While reading the text, the stress generally falls on the second syllable of each foot. So, the overall poem is composed of iambic tetrameter . It means there are a total of four iambs in every line. However, there are a few metrical variations as well.

Let’s take the first stanza and scan it metrically.

Two roads / di- verged / in a yel -/low wood , And sor -/ry I / could not tra -/vel both And be / one tra -/ve-ler, long / I stood And looked / down one / as far / as I could To where / it bent / in the un -/der- growth ;

From the scansion of the first stanza, it is clear that Frost also uses a few anapests here and there throughout the poem. There are a total of four feet in each line. As the majority of the feet are composed of iambs, the dominant meter of this piece is the iambic tetrameter.

Literary Devices

Frost uses several literary devices in ‘The Road Not Taken’ . To begin with, he uses anaphora in the second, third, and fourth lines of the first stanza. Another important device of this piece is enjambment . It can be seen in the third and fourth lines. Using this device, he maintains the flow in between the lines as well as connects them internally.

Readers can find the use of metonymy in the phrase, “a yellow wood”. It refers to the season, autumn, and its effect on nature. There is a symbol in the usage of the word, “undergrowth”. It stands for the undiscovered regions of the future.

In the second stanza, readers can find the use of irony in this line, “And having perhaps the better claim.” This device is explained further below. Apart from that, Frost uses alliteration in the phrase, “wanted wear”.

The third stanza presents an inversion or hyperbaton in this line, “In leaves no step had trodden black.” The line also contains a synecdoche . In the following line, readers can find a rhetorical exclamation. 

In the last stanza, the poet uses repetition for emphasizing a particular idea. For example, the phrase, “ages and ages” emphasizes the continuity of life’s journey. While the repetition of the word, “I” in the end and beginning of the third and fourth lines are meant for the sake of highlighting the speaker’s hesitation. Such repetition is also known as anadiplosis . Lastly, the poem ends with a paradox .

Frost uses several metaphors in this poem to bring home his innovative ideas. For example, the title of the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’ contains a metaphor . In it, the “road” is a metaphor for the choice we make.

Moving on to the text, there is another metaphor in the “yellow wood”. In this phrase, the poet implicitly compares the idea of change to the yellowish wood. He compares the speaker of this piece to a traveler who is struck while choosing the best option to carry on his journey.

Likewise, readers can find another metaphor in the last stanza. Here, the road “less traveled by” is a metaphor for the choices less preferred by humans. It refers to unconventional things that pragmatic society doesn’t follow at all. However, some people choose such unconventional options. So, in the speaker’s case, he has not opted for the rarest choice.

The ironic undertone is inexorable. As he writes,

The individual anticipates insincerity in his future, looking in retrospect later on. He’s aware that he will be far from correct and even hypocritical at times, looking at his life.

Furthermore, he is fully aware that his future self will ultimately deny his past self’s decision, asserting it strongly. In essence, there’s no definitive true path here. As a result, what lies on the other path may trouble an individual with remnant feelings of guilt afterward.

With ironic undertones throughout, the poem contains hints of remorse due to choosing a path without much knowledge about either. Along the way, the individual wonders about the other path and what’s irrevocably lost in deselecting it.

The use of imagery, in this piece, makes it an interesting read. It helps readers to imagine the plot of this poem. There is no unnecessary information in the text. Frost begins directly with the primary image of the poem that is of the “two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” By using this visual imagery filled with the color of autumn, the poet depicts the place where his speaker is struggling to make a decision.

He further describes that the roads bent in the undergrowth. It means that the speaker cannot see what is there ahead of the road. In this way, Frost paints a beautiful picture of two long roads going in two different directions in the woods.

Readers can find more secondary details, integral to the main image, in the following stanzas. According to the speaker, the roads more or less look the same. Grasses cover them and one of them is less traveled than the other. Besides, some pale leaves are lying on the road. On one road, he can see trodden, black leaves. While he cannot see such leaves on the other road.

Providing this description, Frost tries to depict two ideas through these images. The first idea is of the choice that one can make easily by learning from the experience of others. Secondly, the image of the less trodden road depicts a way that can be less traveled, but it is less discovered by others.

Tone and Mood

To understand the tone and mood of this poem, readers have to look for the words that have emotions associated with them. One such word appears at the very beginning of the second line. The speaker says, “sorry” for not being able to travel on both roads. How does this particular word influence the poem’s tone and mood?

First of all, it tells readers that the speaker is not confident enough to make a decision. Therefore he feels sorry for himself. It reflects his mental state as well as the poem’s mood that is a little bit drifting towards the lethargic state of mind. Besides, the tone is emotive but not direct as it lacks confidence.

Another phrase, “long I stood” prolongs the mood of indecisiveness and confusion. The tone follows the mood and it changes into an introspective one.

In the following stanza, the word “perhaps” in the second line depicts the tone of dilemma. The confused mood of the speaker also confuses the readers. Moving on to the following stanzas, the individual becomes comparably confident yet his tone reflects a sense of grief as he thinks the other road might be better than the one he is about to walk on.

The infamous poem is rich with simplistic literal symbolism . Frost sets up a fictional stage for an individual upon which he sets the direction of his life with irreparable consequences. It’s a metaphor for people juggling with lifelong decisions. Seemingly an obvious poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’ has been subjective, catering to multiple interpretations. According to Robert Frost ( Bio | Poems ) himself:

You have to be careful of that one; it’s a tricky poem—very tricky.

In this piece, readers have to be aware of the use of symbols . The first dilemma that comes across while reading the text is about the actual symbolic significance of the two roads. These roads do not refer to two different paths. Rather Frost points at two superficially identical roads symbolizing the choices a person has to make. He can only choose any one of them as it is literally impossible to be “one traveler” on both roads. Besides, readers can find another symbol in “a yellow wood”. It refers to the idea of change.

The thematic idea of ‘The Road Not Taken’ intrinsically lies in “ carpe diem ”, judging by its nuance. In conventional carpe diem poems, readers can find that the speaker is urging one to seize the moment and live in the present. Likewise, in this poem, the poet presents a person who is not sure about what to do. He thinks about the future so he cannot make a decision based on the present scenario.

This piece also taps on several other themes such as choice, uncertainty, indecision, fate, and over-thinking. The main theme of this piece is choice and uncertainty. In this poem, the speaker has to make a choice and he is uncertain about the best one. He thinks what he will choose cannot be suitable for him.

The next theme that can be found is indecision. Readers can find this theme in the lines such as, “Then look at the other, as just as fair,/ And having perhaps the better claim.” Right after these lines, the speaker says both of them are “really about the same.” That’s why he struggles with indecision.

It also seems that the speaker is a fatalist. He relies on it more than the present moment. This mindset creates more confusion in his life. Last but not least is overthinking. This theme is present throughout this piece. Here, the narrator has to make a simple decision. But, he thinks more than what is necessary. It leads to all the confusion not only in his case but also in the case of readers.

Historical Context

Robert Frost ‘s ‘The Road Not Taken’ depicts the poet or individual looking in retrospect and contemplating upon past decisions. As per a biographical account by Lawrence Thompson, “Robert Frost: The Years of Triumph”, the poem was based on his Welsh pal named Edward Thomas. According to him, his friend was always regretful of his decision, irrespective of the road taken.

Considering himself as a regional poet, New England has been used as a recurring location in Robert Frost’s poems . He moved to New Hampshire in his early teens. As a result, the rich culture, vivid imagery, history, and landscape are reflected in his published work. Elements such as orchards, forests, fields, and small towns are observed commonly. His narrators are often close to nature, wandering in woods (Read ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ ), in snowstorms, and picking apples (Refer to ‘After Apple-Picking’ ).

It is a narrative poem as it tells a story of a speaker who was struggling to choose on a morning. This poem also describes the mindset of the central character in metered verse . Besides, it is told from the first-person point of view . So, it’s a lyric with a set rhyming and metrical scheme.

From 1912 to 1915, Robert Frost lived in England. There he developed a friendship with the poet Edward Thomas. Often they went out for walks. One day, as they were walking they came across two roads diverging in different directions. Thomas was indecisive about which way to take. In 1915, when Frost returned to New Hampshire, he wrote the verses of ‘The Road Not Taken’ recounting this event. He sent the copy to Thomas and it compelled him to get rid of his indecisiveness concerning other things of his life.

The poem was first published in the August 1915 issue of The Atlantic Monthly. It was later published in Frost’s poetry collection ‘Mountain Interval’ (1916) as its first poem.

The poem is titled, ‘The Road Not Taken,’ for an interesting reason. In the poem, the road that is not taken by the speaker is the one that is interestingly similar to the other road he takes. The poet mentions the first road in the title to emphasize the dominant thought of the speaker ’s mind. If there is only one road, there won’t be any problem. As there are two options, he struggles to make a decision and suffers through prolonged indecisiveness. Even if he takes a path (that may be suitable for him), he will still be thinking of the other one. We often think in this pattern. So, the poet advises us not to be engrossed in such thoughts.

The phrase “a yellow wood” symbolizes the abstract idea of change. It is also a symbol of the season, Autumn. The roads diverged in the woods. So, it means that no matter what road the speaker takes, there will be a change in his life. It is up to him how he reacts to it.

‘The Road Not Taken’ is about regret. In a superficial reading, it may seem that the poet is appreciating the speaker ’s decision. However, analyzing the text thoroughly will reveal that the speaker regrets the choice he makes even before its actual implementation.

The poetic persona doubts if he should ever come back or not. If he takes a road, he has to follow wherever it takes him. There will be ways that will lead him to other ways. In the process, he won’t have enough time to return at this juncture and choose ‘the road not taken.’

Robert Frost’s speaker chose the road less traveled as he had to make a decision. Otherwise, he would get stuck at that place forever. So, for the sake of continuing the journey of life, he took the other road, less traveled. He might do better that way, or it could prove futile. No matter what happened to him, he had to make a decision.

Similar Poetry

Here is a list of a few poems that similarly showcase the themes present in Robert Frost’s poem, ‘The Road Not Taken.’

• ‘Song of the Open Road ‘ by Walt Whitman ( Bio | Poems ) – It’s one of the best-known poems of Walt Whitman . This poem describes a trip the speaker takes to learn about himself and enjoy the journey to an unknown destination.
• ‘ There is Pleasure in the Pathless Woods’ by Lord Byron ( Bio | Poems ) – It’s one of the best-loved poems of Byron . This poem reflects a speaker’s strong desire for solitude and peace.
• ‘The Road Goes Ever On’ by J.R.R. Tolkien ( Bio | Poems ) – It’s among the popular poems of J.R.R. Tolkien . This poem explores the themes of possibilities in life and hope.
• ‘ The Way Through the Woods’ by Rudyard Kipling ( Bio | Poems ) – It’s one of the best Rudyard Kipling poems . This poem describes the changes that have come over one particular plot of forest.

You can also read about these raw anxiety poems and the best English language poems ever .

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About Omer Asad

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I noticed another aspect that the author has specifically chosen yellow paths, not red as one would see in maple trees in autumn. It suggests that these trees may be alder or birch trees which are considered pioneer species. Perhaps it was meant to signify that the woods themselves were new as “No man can step into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and it is not the same man.” Maybe he wanted to show that every choice and experience is entirely unique and there is no road less travelled by for all of them lie untrodden waiting and growing patiently for us to cross them and then be converted to ashes.

HEY, i dont get the structure part, kinda just waffled that part ngl

wait, you waffled or we did?

i dont understand the paragraph about structure

It’s basically just saying that Frost could often be subversive. That he used common forms but then altered them…often for effect.

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Asad, Omer. "The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/robert-frost/the-road-not-taken/ . Accessed 22 August 2024.

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The Road Not Taken Summary & Analysis by Robert Frost

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

Written in 1915 in England, "The Road Not Taken" is one of Robert Frost's—and the world's—most well-known poems. Although commonly interpreted as a celebration of rugged individualism, the poem actually contains multiple different meanings. The speaker in the poem, faced with a choice between two roads, takes the road "less traveled," a decision which he or she supposes "made all the difference." However, Frost creates enough subtle ambiguity in the poem that it's unclear whether the speaker's judgment should be taken at face value, and therefore, whether the poem is about the speaker making a simple but impactful choice, or about how the speaker interprets a choice whose impact is unclear.

• Read the full text of “The Road Not Taken”

The Full Text of “The Road Not Taken”

1 Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

2 And sorry I could not travel both

3 And be one traveler, long I stood

4 And looked down one as far as I could

5 To where it bent in the undergrowth;

6 Then took the other, as just as fair,

7 And having perhaps the better claim,

8 Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

9 Though as for that the passing there

10 Had worn them really about the same,

11 And both that morning equally lay

12 In leaves no step had trodden black.

13 Oh, I kept the first for another day!

14 Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

15 I doubted if I should ever come back.

16 I shall be telling this with a sigh

17 Somewhere ages and ages hence:

18 Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

19 I took the one less traveled by,

20 And that has made all the difference.

“The Road Not Taken” Summary

“the road not taken” themes.

Choices and Uncertainty

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

Individualism and Nonconformity

Making Meaning

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “the road not taken”.

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.

Lines 13-15

Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

Lines 16-17

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Lines 18-20

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

“The Road Not Taken” Symbols

Diverging Roads

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The Road Less Traveled

“the road not taken” poetic devices & figurative language, extended metaphor.

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“The Road Not Taken” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Yellow wood
• Undergrowth
• See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Road Not Taken”

Rhyme scheme, “the road not taken” speaker, “the road not taken” setting, literary and historical context of “the road not taken”, more “the road not taken” resources, external resources.

"The Most Misread Poem in America" — An insightful article in the Paris Review, which goes into depth about some of the different ways of reading (or misreading) "The Road Not Taken."

Robert Frost reads "The Road Not Taken" — Listen to Robert Frost read the poem.

Book Review: "The Road Not Taken," by David Orr — Those looking for an even more in-depth treatment of the poem might be interested in David Orr's book, "The Road Not Taken: Finding America in the Poem Everyone Loves and Almost Everyone Gets Wrong."

LitCharts on Other Poems by Robert Frost

Acquainted with the Night

After Apple-Picking

A Roadside Stand

Desert Places

Dust of Snow

Fire and Ice

Home Burial

Mending Wall

My November Guest

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

The Death of the Hired Man

The Oven Bird

The Sound of the Trees

The Tuft of Flowers

The Wood-Pile

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The Road Not Taken

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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.

"The Road Not Taken" first appeared in 1916 in Robert Frost's third collection of poetry, Mountain Interval . The release of his previous collection, North of Boston , in 1915 had secured Frost's status as an important voice in modern American poetry. "The Road Not Taken" is the opening poem in Mountain Interval , which may partially explain the poem's tremendous popularity and stature.

The repetition of “I,” accentuated by the long dash and the line break, serves two purposes. It can be read as a moment of hesitation. Facing the “two roads”—a reiteration of the poem’s opening line—the speaker falters when forced to make the final decision. The two “I”s can also be read as a statement about the fluidity of personal identity. As a person moves through time and makes decisions, her identity changes. Thus, the repetition of “I” represents the two different versions of the speaker: one before facing the fork, one after.

The speaker is resigned to a sense of wistfulness in the future. Even if the speaker will not experience regret outright, the possibilities that lay down the road not taken will forever remain in mind. Another interesting aspect of this statement is that the poem itself seems to be equivalent to the phrase “telling this with a sigh… ages and ages hence,” particularly considering that the poem describes the events in the past tense.

These lines illustrate the speaker’s irrational confidence in the option to reconsider his decision later, jauntily marked with an exclamation point. This optimism is quickly sobered by the reality that “way leads onto way,” meaning that the future will just offer more branching decisions.

The image of stepped-on leaves turning black represents the notion that the road less traveled is preferable. Taking the final couplet into consideration as well, the poem is commonly read as a testament to the unconventionally lived life. This reading is complicated, however, by the fact that the paths are the same and the leaves are not in fact “trodden black.”

Frost controls the sounds of his words to produce beautiful phrases that, in many cases, trigger a specific effect. In this phrase, the three syllables beginning with l fluctuate from a hard e vowel sound to a hard a sound back to a hard e sound. The effect is a sonic symmetry that reflects the symmetry of the image: two paths equally covered in fall leaves.

This couplet clues us into the truth of the decision: the two paths are the same. Despite the speaker’s attempts to rationalize the value of one path over the other, it is clear that there is no substantial difference. This moment introduces a strain of irony that undermines the seriousness with which the speaker considers the decision.

The image of a path bending back behind the brush is a powerful image for the unknowability and unpredictability of the future. The speaker’s dilemma stems from his ignorance of where each path will lead. Although Frost warned in his writings that all metaphors “break down at some point,” this is a moment where the use of metaphor is apt.

The “yellow” of the woods gives the scene an autumn setting. In this context, the seasons of the year may be read as a metaphor for the seasons of the human life, with autumn symbolizing midlife.

“The Road Not Taken” employs iambic tetrameter, a metrical scheme that features four beats to the line. This meter gives the poem a sense of propulsion and forward movement, fitting for a poem about a traveler. The rhyme scheme in each of the four stanzas is ABAAB. The third A rhyme, which causes each stanza to lag by one line, gives the poem a sense of deliberation. These moment of hesitation before the resolution of each stanza represent the speaker’s hesitation in choosing a road.

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The Road Not Taken

The road not taken lyrics.

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One of the most widely quoted poems ever written, “The Road Not Taken” was completed in 1915 and first published in Frost’s volume Mountain Interval (1916). Taught in high school classrooms across the English-speaking world, it’s become popular as a depiction of rugged individuality, of “straying from the beaten path.”

But is it that simple? Careful reading will show Frost’s intention to convey that whatever path, whatever decision in life, is taken by the listener or reader, it will leave them wondering if the alternative would have been better. There is no right answer and we will always wonder subsequently if there was a better route. The last line of the poem is, of course, ambiguous.

According to critic William Pritchard:

[Frost] characterized himself in that poem particularly as ‘fooling my way along.’ He also said that it was really about his friend (English poet) Edward Thomas, who when they walked together always castigated himself for not having taken another path than the one they took. …. Frost did on occasion warn his … audiences that it was a tricky poem. Yet it became popular … taken to be an inspiring poem, which sounds noble and is really mischievous ( Frost: A Literary Life Reconsidered , 1984)

Structure The poem comprises four stanzas of five lines each, known as quintains. The rhythm is varied; there is no clear metrical pattern, but strong use of enjambment creates a ‘conversational’ flow that is intimate and seems informal, as if the poet is ‘talking’ to the reader. The rhyme scheme throughout is ABAAB,

Language and Imagery The voice is that of the poet or narrator, using the first person ‘I’. The language is simple and accessible, though the ideas are more complex than they seem.

The overriding or extended metaphor is that of the road and the journey, representing life and its choices — or lack of them!

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

• 1. The Road Not Taken
• 2. Christmas Trees
• 3. An Old Man’s Winter Night
• 4. A Patch of Old Snow
• 5. In the Home Stretch
• 6. The Telephone
• 7. Meeting and Passing
• 8. Hyla Brook
• 9. The Oven Bird
• 10. Bond and Free
• 11. Birches
• 12. Pea Brush
• 13. Putting In The Seed
• 14. A Time To Talk
• 15. The Cow In Apple Time
• 16. An Encounter
• 17. Range-finding
• 18. The Hill Wife
• 19. The Bonfire
• 20. A Girl’s Garden
• 21. The Exposed Nest
• 22. Out, Out—
• 23. Brown’s Descent
• 24. The Gum-Gatherer
• 25. The Line-Gang
• 26. The Vanishing Red
• 28. The Sound of the Trees

Genius is the world’s biggest collection of song lyrics and musical knowledge

The True Meaning of ‘Two Roads Diverged in a Wood, and I Took the One Less Traveled by’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Two roads diverged in a wood’; ‘I took the one less traveled by’. These two lines have become famous since they were written, and they are widely quoted. But their meaning is also widely misunderstood. What did Robert Frost mean when he wrote, ‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, / I took the one less traveled by’?

‘The Road Not Taken’ is one of Robert Frost’s most famous poems. It appeared in his first collection, Mountain Interval , in 1916, as the opening poem. For this reason, given it’s the curtain-raiser for his career, it’s natural and understandable that many readers take the poem to be Frost’s statement of individualism as a poet: he will take ‘the road less travelled’.

The metaphor of the road is one that immediately evokes a journey, not just of the local or day-to-day kind, but of the life-defining sort: life as a journey, with many roads which we must travel along, and with many alternative paths which we must choose between.

But when we analyse Frost’s poem more closely, we realise how inaccurate an interpretation of ‘Two roads diverged in a wood’ this really is. Frost himself, two years before his death, lamented the way readers and critics had misinterpreted the poem, which he called ‘tricky’.

Those two roads diverged, forcing Frost to choose one, but this means that he also necessarily had to choose not to take the other. In opting for one road, he was consciously rejecting the other.

Frost’s poem describes how he came to a fork in the road and wished he could have taken both paths. But that isn’t possible, of course, so with a heavy heart he had to choose between these two roads which diverged in a ‘yellow wood’.

He took his time making his decision, because there seemed to be very little way of telling which road might be the better one to plump for. The only thing that seems to have made the chosen road preferable is the fact that it wasn’t as well-trodden as the other: its grass was less worn.

But even this, it turns out, isn’t true: it’s merely Frost (or Frost’s speaker, at least) retrospectively trying to fashion and furnish a reason for taking the road he did. In reality, he admits, there was no reason. The grass was equally worn on both roads.

It was, after all, a more or less arbitrary choice. Neither path appeared to have been walked down on that particular day, as the presence of the leaves upon both roads suggested. (It’s a ‘yellow wood’, remember, summoning the colours of autumn when the leaves fall from the trees.)

So, faced with these two roads – these two, to all intents and purposes, equal roads – Frost chose one on a whim. He told himself that, to even things out, he would come back another day and take the other one, but again, he immediately goes on to contradict and correct himself, stating that he knows he is just telling himself he will do this, but that in reality he almost certainly won’t. He’ll never come back to this spot.

So Frost’s lines about two roads that ‘diverged in a wood’ and his taking ‘the one less traveled by’ is, for all that, just a narrative shaped after the event: a story to tell people. The most famous lines in Frost’s poem are not some sincere declaration of the importance of choosing the more original and less popular course of action, of bucking the trend and standing apart from the crowd – although this is how Frost’s lines have been interpreted.

His ‘two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by’ is not some rousing paean to individualism but an entirely false and fabricated piece of performative narrative-weaving, as he tries to imbue his arbitrary decision with a semblance of meaning. In truth, there is no meaning to it. No rhyme, if you will, or reason.

If we go back to the title of Frost’s poem, we can see that that title gives us a hint that this is the intended meaning. The poem is titled ‘The Road Not Taken’, not ‘The Road Less Travelled’. Frost’s poem foregrounds that it is the road he didn’t take which is the real subject of the poem. When choosing one path over another, do we ever regret our choice? We often wonder about the choices we didn’t make, the chances we didn’t take. We regret not doing things all the time.

But many decisions only allow us an either/or option. They are binary. Should I marry this person or not marry them? Those are, baldly speaking, the only two choices, even if not marrying X leads to our marrying Y. Should I take this job or not take this job?

In titling his poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ and making the choice between two roads that diverged in a wood, Frost imparts a much greater meaning to his poem, since it represents all such ‘do X or don’t do X’ choices we face in our lives. Hamlet had his: ‘To be, or not to be’.

The poem’s famous final lines are less a proud assertion of individualism than a bittersweet example of the way we always rewrite our own histories to justify the decisions we make. ‘I kidded myself that one of the roads was less well-trodden and so, to be different from the mainstream, that’s the one I took, brave and independent risk-taker and road-taker that I am.’

This isn’t true, but it’s the sort of self-myth-making we often go in for. But Frost’s final lines are also about how taking one course means that we didn’t take another course, and that may make all the difference, and not always for the better.

What is also less well-known than it should be about ‘The Road Not Taken’ is the fact that the poem may have begun life as Frost’s gentle ribbing of his friend, the English poet Edward Thomas, with whom Frost had taken many walks during the pre-WWI years when Frost had been living in England.

Frost found Thomas to be an indecisive man, and after he’d written ‘The Road Not Taken’ but before it was published, he sent it to Thomas, whose indecisiveness even extended to uncertainty over whether to follow Frost to the United States or to enlist in the army and go and fight in France.

Frost intended the poem to be a semi-serious mockery of people like Thomas, but it was taken more seriously by Thomas, and by countless readers since.

Indeed, Frost’s poem may even have been what inspired Thomas to make up his mind and finally choose which ‘road’ to follow: he chose war over America, and ‘The Road Not Taken’ is, perhaps, what forced his hand. And for Thomas, the road he chose really did make a difference: tragically, he was killed during the Battle of Arras in 1917.

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1 thought on “The True Meaning of ‘Two Roads Diverged in a Wood, and I Took the One Less Traveled by’”

The back story of the poem certainly adds depth to the overall meaning.

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“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost: Analysis

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, originally published in 1916, was part of his collection Mountain Interval.

• 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.

Introduction: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Table of Contents

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, originally published in 1916, was part of his collection Mountain Interval . The poem explores the theme of choices and their lasting consequences. Frost presents a speaker at a literal fork in the road, faced with a decision between two seemingly equal paths. With vivid natural imagery, the diverging paths symbolize life’s decisions. What makes “The Road Not Taken” unique is its frequent misinterpretation. While popularly seen as a celebration of individuality, the poem’s final lines contain a note of wistfulness, hinting that all choices carry some degree of regret. This complexity, alongside its enduring popularity, highlights the universality of pondering paths untraveled and the bittersweet nature of decision-making.

Annotations of “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Literary Devices in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Sound and Poetic Devices in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Functions of Literary Devices in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

• Imagery: Frost paints a memorable picture with details like “yellow wood” and the personified roads that “diverged” and “wanted wear.” The alliteration emphasizes the visual setting, while the personification begins the transformation of the roads into a metaphor for life’s choices.
• Tone: Frost’s diction, including words like “sorry,” “long I stood,” and “doubted,” establishes a thoughtful and introspective mood. The repeated “and” creates a sense of the speaker’s uncertainty and hesitation.
• Emphasis: Through the repetition of “two roads,” Frost underscores the poem’s core theme: the weight of choices and their consequences. This reminds the reader of the profound nature of the speaker’s dilemma.
• Meaning: The central metaphor of the roads, representing life choices, gains depth through Frost’s literary skill. The “road less traveled by” symbolizes individuality—choosing based on personal values over following the crowd. The final line, “And that has made all the difference,” suggests the speaker reflects on their choice with a sense of wisdom gained, highlighting the lasting impact decisions hold.

Themes in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

·  Choices and Consequences:

• Key Point: Every decision has a lasting impact, shaping our life’s trajectory.
• Evidence: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (Line 1) – Symbolizes life’s crossroads.
• Evidence: “And that has made all the difference” (Line 20) – Emphasizes how choices change the course of our lives.

·  Individuality vs. Conformity:

• Key Point: The value of choosing one’s own path, even when unconventional.
• Evidence: “I took the one less traveled by” (Line 18) – The speaker embraces independent thinking.
• Evidence: “…wanting wear” (Line 8) – Paths symbolize societal expectations, the less-traveled one representing nonconformity.

·  The Inevitability of Regret:

• Key Point: Even with satisfaction in our choices, a longing for the “what ifs” can linger.
• Evidence: “Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.” (Lines 13-14) – The speaker recognizes the finality of the decision.
• Evidence: “Oh, I kept the first for another day!” (Line 15) – A tinge of wistfulness about the path not taken.

·  The Role of Nature:

• Key Point: The natural world provides a setting for self-reflection and symbolizes life’s possibilities.
• Evidence: “yellow wood” (Line 1) – Creates a visual backdrop, potentially hinting at autumn and the passage of time.
• Evidence: “In leaves no step had trodden black” (Line 3) – The pristine paths represent the open, undecided future.

Literary Theories and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Essay Topics, Questions and Thesis Statements about “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Topics Focusing on Theme

• Question: To what extent does “The Road Not Taken” celebrate individuality, and to what extent does it suggest the potential drawbacks of nonconformity?
• Thesis: While “The Road Not Taken” initially seems to promote independent thinking, a closer reading reveals a wistful tone suggesting a hidden cost to always choosing the path less traveled.
• Question: How does Frost portray the complexities of decision-making, and how does the speaker grapple with the possibility of regret?
• Thesis: Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” explores the inevitability of regret, demonstrating how even choices rooted in individuality carry the bittersweet echo of paths untaken.
• Question: How does Frost use natural imagery to symbolize broader themes of life, choice, and the passage of time?
• Thesis: In “The Road Not Taken,” Frost employs the natural world not just as a setting but as a central metaphor. The diverging paths represent life’s choices, and the vibrant imagery underscores the weight of these decisions.

Topics Focusing on Literary Aspects

• Question: How does Frost use ambiguity to create a poem that invites multiple interpretations?
• Thesis: The enduring popularity of “The Road Not Taken” stems from its intentional ambiguity; Frost crafts a poem open to various readings, inviting the reader to project their own experiences onto its themes.
• Question: How does Frost’s use of sound devices (e.g., alliteration, repetition) contribute to the poem’s overall meaning and effect on the reader?
• Thesis: Frost’s careful use of sound devices in “The Road Not Taken” adds lyrical quality while subtly reinforcing the poem’s themes; for example, the repeated “and” mirrors the speaker’s hesitant thought process.

Topics Linking Theory to the Poem

• Question: How does Reader-Response theory explain the widespread misinterpretation of “The Road Not Taken” as a purely celebratory poem about individuality?
• Thesis: Popular readings of “The Road Not Taken” reveal how readers often project a desire for empowerment onto the text, overlooking subtle hints of regret that create a more nuanced meaning.

Short Question-Answer about “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Literary Works Similar to “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

• “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost:
•  Shares a focus on solitary contemplation within a natural setting. Both poems explore the allure of pausing one’s journey and diverging from the expected path, highlighting the tensions between societal expectations and individual desires.
• “Choose Something Like a Star” by Robert Frost: Emphasizes the importance of striving towards ambitious goals. This aligns with the message in “The Road Not Taken” that choosing the path less traveled can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
• Short Stories:
• “The Garden of Forking Paths” by Jorge Luis Borges: This complex narrative explores a concept of infinite realities branching from each decision made. It resonates with the theme in Frost’s poem that every choice alters the course of our lives.
• “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig: Presents a protagonist who experiences alternate lives based on different choices. This emphasizes the profound impact of decisions and explores the potential for longing for the paths not taken, a core concept within “The Road Not Taken.”

Key Points of Similarity:

• The Centrality of Choice: These works all delve into the weight of decision-making and the lasting impact our choices have on our life trajectories.
• Contemplation of Paths Untaken: They tap into the universal human fascination with potential alternate lives and the lingering sense of “what if” that accompanies our decisions.
• Symbolic Journeys: Like Frost, many of these authors employ the metaphor of roads, paths, or journeys to represent broader life experiences and the choices we make along the way.

Suggested Readings: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Scholarly articles.

• Explores recurring themes and stylistic features of Frost’s poetry, which can inform analysis of “The Road Not Taken.”
• A biographical and critical study, potentially offering insights into Frost’s mindset when composing the poem and how it fits within his larger body of work.
• Axelrod, Steven Gould. “The Poetry of Robert Frost.” Twentieth Century Literature , vol. 35, no. 4, 1989, pp. 498–514. JSTOR , [www.jstor.org/stable/441554]
• Look for the text of “The Road Not Taken” and potential critical essays or background information related to the poem.
• Search for Robert Frost’s profile to find biographical information and whether they have specific resources on “The Road Not Taken.”

Related posts:

• “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray
• “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe
• “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy: Analysis
• “The Lady of Shalott” by Lord Tennyson: Analysis

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Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken: Meaning and Analysis

General Education

Robert Frost is arguably one of the most well-known American poets of all time, so it’s not surprising that his work is taught in high schools and colleges across the nation. Because he’s so famous, chances are you’ve encountered “The Road Not Taken” before .

We’re here to help you build a deeper understanding of “The Road Not Taken.” To help you learn what Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” poem is all about, we’ll cover the following in this article:

• A brief intro to the poet, Robert Frost
• Information about the poem’s background
• “The Road Not Taken” meaning
• “The Road Not Taken” analysis, including the top two themes in the poem
• The poetic devices in “The Road Not Taken” that you need to know

There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get going!

Robert Frost is widely recognized as one of the most influential American poets of the 20th century. (Sneha Raushan/ Wikimedia )

Robert Frost Biography

Robert Frost was born in 1874 in San Francisco, California. His father was a newspaper editor (a profession Frost later practiced himself, among others), and his mother was a teacher and Scottish immigrant. When he was about ten years old, his family moved to Massachusetts to be near his grandfather, who owned a sawmill. Frost was named both the valedictorian and the “class poet” of his high school graduating class ...and two years later published his first poem, “My Butterfly: An Elegy,” in the New York Independent magazine. 

At this point, Frost knew he wanted to be a poet. But unfortunately, the next segment of Frost’s life would be marked by upheaval . He attended both Dartmouth and Harvard, but dropped out of both before graduating. His poetry wasn’t gaining traction in the United States, either. To complicate matters further, Frost and his wife, Elinor, suffered personal tragedy when two of their six children died in infancy. 

In 1900, feeling frustrated by his job prospects and a lack of traction in his poetry career, Frost moved his family to a farm left to him by his grandfather in Derry, New Hampshire. Frost would live there for nine years, and many of his most famous early poems were written before his morning chores while tending to the farm . But Frost’s poetry was still largely overlooked by American publishers. Consequently, Frost decided to sell the farm in 1911 and moved his family to London. It was there he published his first anthology of poetry, A Boy’s Will, in 1913 . 

Frost’s second anthology, North of Boston, was published in 1914 and found massive success in England. Finally, after years of struggle, Frost became a famous poet essentially overnight. In order to avoid WWI, Frost returned to the U.S. in 1915 and began teaching at Amherst College and the University of Michigan , all the while continuing to write poetry. He received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, and became the public face of 20th century American poetry . Late in life, at 86 years old, Robert Frost also became the first inaugural poet at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1960. 

Throughout his career, Frost never strayed far from old-fashioned, pastoral poetry, despite the fact that newer American poets moved in a more experimental direction. Frost’s poetry continued to focus on rural New England life up until his death in 1963. 

Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken” Poem

“The Road Not Taken” is a narrative poem , meaning it is a poem that tells a story. It was written in 1915 as a joke for Frost’s friend, Edward Thomas. Frost and Thomas were fond of hiking together, and Thomas often had trouble making up his mind which trail they should follow. (Yes, that’s right: one of the most famous American poems was originally written as a goofy private joke between two friends!)

Frost first read it to some college students who, to his surprise, thought it a very serious poem. “The Road Not Taken” was first published in the August 1915 issue of The Atlantic Monthly , and then was re-published as the opening poem in his poetry collection Mountain Interval the next year.

The full text of the poem is below.

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

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.

Frost's most famous poem got its start as part of a letter sent to his best friend on the eve of World War I.

The Background Behind “The Road Not Taken” Poem

“The Road Not Taken” has become well known for its perceived encouragement to take the “[road] less traveled by.” In other words, many people interpret this poem as a call to blaze new trails and break away from the status quo. This is partly why lots of people misremember the poem’s title as “The Road Less Travelled.” 

This interpretation of “The Road Not Taken” is debatable (more on that later), but it was enough to inspire Frost’s friend Edward Thomas to make a very grave decision to fight in World War I.

Frost and Thomas were great friends while Frost lived in England, both of them were well-read and very interested in nature. They frequently took long walks together , observing nature in the English countryside. However, Frost’s time in England ended in 1915 when World War I was on the verge of breaking out. He returned to the United States to avoid the war and fully expected Thomas to follow him. 

Thomas did not. Frost’s poem came in the mail as Thomas was deciding whether to leave Europe or to participate in the war effort. While “The Road Not Taken” wasn’t the only thing that made Thomas enlist and fight in World War I, it was a factor in his decision. Thomas, regretting his lack of achievement compared to his good friend Frost and feeling that the poem mocked his indecisiveness, decided to take initiative and fight for his country. Unfortunately, Thomas was killed at the Battle of Arras on April 9, 1917.

Thomas was inspired to take “the road not taken” because of Frost’s poem. The same is true for many people who’ve read the poem since it was first published in 1915. The concept of taking a “road less traveled'' seems to advocate for individuality and perseverance , both of which are considered central to American culture. The poem has been republished thousands upon thousands of times and has inspired everything from self-help books to car commercials .

Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken” Analysis: Meaning and Themes

To help you understand the significance of Robert Frost’s poetry, we’ll break down the overall meaning and major themes of the poem in our “The Road Not Taken” analysis below. 

But before we do, go back and reread the poem. Once you have that done, come back here...and we can get started! 

Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken” Meaning

“The Road Not Taken” is a poem that argues for the importance of our choices, both big and small, since they shape our journey through life . For Frost, the most important decisions we make aren’t the ones we spend tons of time thinking about, like who we have relationships with , where we go to college , or what our future career should be . Instead, Frost’s poem posits that the small choices we make each and every day also have big impacts on our lives. Each decision we make sets us upon a path that we may not understand the importance of until much, much later. 

This theme is reflected throughout the poem. For instance, the poem begins with a speaker placing us in a scene, specifically at the point where two roads break away from each other in the middle of a “yellow wood.”

The speaker is sorry they cannot go both directions and still “be one traveler,” which is to say that they cannot live two divergent lives and still be one single person . In other words, the speaker can’t “have their cake and eat it, too.” The speaker has to choose one direction to go down, because like in life, making a decision often means that other doors are subsequently shut for you. 

For example, if you choose to go to college at UCLA, that means you’re also choosing not to go to college elsewhere. You’ll never know what it would be like to go to the University of Michigan or as a freshman straight out of high school because you made a different choice. But this is true for smaller, day-to-day decisions as well. Choosing who you spend time with, how hard you study, and what hobbies your pursue are examples of smaller choices that also shape your future, too.

The speaker of the poem understands that . They stand at the crossroads of these two paths for a long time, contemplating their choice. First, they stare down one path as far as he or she can, to where it trails off into the undergrowth. The speaker then decides to take the other path, which they state is just as “fair,” meaning just as attractive as the first. The narrator states that the second path “wanted wear,” meaning that it was slightly more overgrown than the first path.

But more importantly, no matter which path the speaker takes, they know they’re committed to follow it wherever it may lead. We see that in this stanza:

While the speaker says they “saved the first” path for “another day” to make them feel better about their decision, the next two lines show that the speaker realizes they probably won’t be able to double back and take the first path, no matter where the second one leads. Just like in life, each path leads to another path, and then another. In other words, the decisions we make in the moment add up and influence where we end up in life--and we don’t really get a “redo” on. 

After choosing their path, the speaker says they look forward to a day far in the future when, “with a sigh,” they’ll tell people about taking the road “less traveled by,/And that has made all the difference.” 

Does this mean that taking the one less traveled has “made all the difference” in a good way?

Saying so “with a sigh” doesn’t necessarily sound like a good thing. The poem isn’t at all clear on whether or not taking the less traveled path was a good choice or a bad choice . So while the poem is clear that all of our choices shape the path we take in life, it’s more ambiguous about whether choosing “less traveled” paths is a good thing or not. That’s up to readers to decide! 

Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken” Theme 1: The Power of Hindsight 

This brings us to our first theme: how hindsight gives our choices power.  

The speaker begins at a point of bifurcation (which is a fancy way of saying “break into two branches”). As readers, we’re meant to take the poem both as a literal story about someone in the woods trying to decide which way to go, as well as a metaphor about how our life choices are like divergent paths in the woods. 

Like we mentioned earlier, the poem is clear that you can’t take two paths and still “be one traveler,” nor can you be certain that you’ll ever get a chance to test out your other options. That’s because every choice you make leads to more choices, all of which lead you further and further from our starting point. 

However, the poem also suggests that while the choices we make are important, how we interpret these choices is what really makes us who we are. We see this in the last lines of the poem, which read: 

I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Essentially, the speaker is saying that later in life he will look back in time and see that moment as one of great significance. But we can only know which choices matter the most through the power of retrospection. It’s like the old saying goes: hindsight is 20/20! 

Here’s what frost means: when we’re making choices in life, they might seem inconsequential or like they’re not that big of a deal. But once time passes and we’ve journeyed down our path a little farther, we can look back into the past and see which choices have shaped us the most. And oftentimes, those choices aren’t the ones we think are most important in the moment. The clarity and wisdom of hindsight allows us to realize that doing something like taking the path “less traveled by” has impacted our lives immensely. 

"The Road Not Taken" is also about our perspective...and how hindsight helps us reconsider our past decision.  

Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken” Theme 2: Perspective and Memory

The other major theme in “The Road Not Taken” is how our individual perspective. 

The speaker of the poem spends most of their time trying to decide which path to take. They describe each path in detail: the first one curves into the undergrowth, while the second was more tempting because it was “grassy” and a little less worn. 

But the truth is that these paths have more in common than not. They’re both in the woods, for one. But the speaker also says the first is “just as fair” as the other, meaning it’s just as pretty or attractive. They also mention that “And both that morning equally lay / In leaves no step had trodden black,” which is a poetic way of saying that neither path had been walked on in a while. And even the one the poet says is less traveled was actually “worn...about the same” as the first path! 

So it’s t he speaker’s perspective that makes these paths seem divergent rather than them actually being super different from one another! 

Because our perspectives shape the way we understand the world, it also affects our memories.  Our memories help us understand who we are, and they shape the person we become. But as we tell ourselves our own story, we overwrite our memories . It’s kind of like deleting a sentence and retyping it...only for it to change a little bit each time! 

What is your earliest memory? What is your favorite memory? Now think about this: are you remembering them, or are you remembering remembering them? Is there a difference? Yes, because science shows that every single time we recall a memory we change it . It’s very possible that your favorite early memory isn’t your memory at all--it is more likely a memory of being told something that happened to you. Perhaps you have a photograph of a moment that triggers your memory. The photograph may not change, but you do and your memory of the things that happened in that moment do.

So, if our experiences and our choices make us who we are, but we’re constantly misremembering and changing our memories, how do actual events even matter? 

“The Road Not Taken” says that they do. Our choices we make are impactful, but the way we remember them is what helps shape us as individuals. So “The Road Not Taken” isn’t necessarily an ode to bravely taking the less popular path when others wouldn’t. It’s more like an ode to being resigned to believing our choices made us who we are, even though if we hadn’t made them, hadn’t taken that path, we’d be someone else who made choices that were just as valid.

Poetic devices are the tools we can use to unpack the meaning of a poem. Here are two that are important to understanding "The Road Not Taken."

The Top 2 Poetic Devices in “The Road Not Taken”

Poetic devices are literary devices that poets use to enhance and create a poem’s structure, tone, rhythm, and meaning. In Robert Frost’s, “The Road Not Taken,” Frost uses iambic meter and voice to reinforce the poem’s meaning . 

Poetic Device 1: Iambic Meter

First thing’s first: the following is only a short overview of iambic meter. If you want an in-depth discussion of meter, check out our blog about it . 

So what is meter? The English language has about an equal number of stressed and unstressed syllables. Arranging these stressed syllables into consistent is one of the most common ways of giving a poem a structure... and this arrangement is called “meter.” 

A poem’s meter is made up of units. Each “unit” of stressed and unstressed syllables that repeats in a poem is called a foot. A foot can either be an iamb (one unstressed followed by one stressed syllable), a trochee (one stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable), a dactyl (one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables) or an anapest (two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable). 

The iamb is the foot that comes to us most naturally as native English speakers, and the most iambs we can speak easily without having to inhale for another breath is about five. So the most common structure for English language poetry is iambic pentameter , meaning the most common foot is an iamb, and there are five iambs per line. Historically, the vast majority of poetry written in English has been in iambic pentameter, and it was the default format for English poetry for centuries.

But pentameter isn’t the only iambic meter : two feet make dimeter, three feet make trimeter, four feet make tetrameter, and six feet make hexameter, and so forth.

The Modernist poets started moving away from these traditional repeating patterns of meter just after World War I, using invented patterns called “free verse.” Although Modernist free verse didn’t replace metrical verse overnight or completely, it slowly broke down the central importance of it in ways that are still felt today. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” is from the very tail end of the iambic-meter-as-a-necessity era. Frost stubbornly and famously stuck to the traditional metrical forms , comparing free verse to playing tennis “with the net down.”

It is the iambic meter that gives the poem its “old-fashioned” rhythm and comfortable feeling. It’s also the thing that makes the poem sound so natural when you read it out loud. You may not even immediately recognize that the poem is in iambic meter, but it becomes clear when you start breaking down the lines. Take this one, for example:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

Looking at the stressed and unstressed syllables we get:

two ROADS/di-VERGED/in a YELL/ow WOOD

The capitalized syllables are stressed, and the lowercase ones aren’t. Each pair of these is an iamb! 

There are four stressed syllables on this line , as well as every other line in the poem. That means this poem is in iambic tetrameter. The most common foot is an iamb (although notice that the third foot is an anapest), and there are four of them.

So why is this important? First, iambic tetrameter is a metrical pattern favored by the 19th century Romantics , who very frequently wrote poems that involved lonely people having great epiphanies while out in nature by themselves. By mimicking that style, Frost pulls on a long poetic tradition helps readers hone in on some of the major themes of his poem--specifically, that the speaker’s decision in the woods will have long-term consequences for both their character and their life. 

The iambic form also rolls off of the tongue easily because it’s the most common meter in the English language. That also echoes the importance of nature in “The Road Not Taken”: both in terms of the natural imagery in the poem, but also in its discussion of the nature of perspective and memory. In that way, the form of the poem helps to reinforce its themes! 

Poetic Device 2: Voice

The second poetic device that Frost employs is voice. The voice of a poem is the product of all the stylistic and vocabulary choices that add up to create a character . In this case, the poem has one character: the speaker. The speaker is unnamed, and it’s through their perspective that we experience the poem. It’s easy to think of the speaker as being Frost himself, but try to resist that temptation. The voice of a poem is an artificial construct, a character created to give the poem a certain effect.\

So how does Frost create this voice? First, note that the poem is in first person . That means we’re getting the speaker’s perspective in their own words, signaled by their use of first person pronouns like “I.” Additionally, the audience isn’t being addressed directly (like in Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise). Instead, it’s as if we’ve intruded upon the speaker’s thoughts as they ruminate over the potential ramifications of choosing one path over another.

Writing the poem in first person means that we’re getting the story straight from the horse’s mouth. In some ways, this is a good thing: it helps us understand the speaker’s unique perspective and in their own unique voice. But in other ways, it makes the objective details of the moment less clear. That’s because t he speaker’s recounting of the moment in the woods is colored by his own memory. That means we have to rely on the speaker’s interpretation of events...and decide how that impacts our interpretation of the poem! The first person narration also gives the poem much of its reflective nature.

What’s Next?

Analyzing poetry can be tricky, so it’s helpful to read a few expert analyses. We have a bunch on our blog that you can read through, like this one about Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night” or this article that explains 10 different sonnets!

It’s much easier to analyze poetry when you have the right tools to do it! Don’t miss our in-depth guides to poetic devices like assonance , iambic pentameter , and allusion .

If you’re more about writing poetry than analyzing it, we’ve got you covered! Here are five great tips for writing poetry (and a few scholarships for budding poets , too).

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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The Road Not Taken

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.

Meanings of The Road Not Taken

Meaning of stanza -1.

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;

Meaning of Stanza -2

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,

Meaning of Stanza -3

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.

Meaning of Stanza -4

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.

Summary of The Road Not Taken

Analysis of literary devices in the road not taken.

“And sorry I could not travel both” “And be only one traveler long I stood” “And looked down once as far as I could”

Analysis of Poetic Devices in “The Road Not Taken”

 quotations for usage from the road not taken.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh / somewhere ages and ages hence.”

“I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

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Teach This Poem, though developed with a classroom in mind, can be easily adapted for remote-learning, hybrid-learning models, or in-person classes. Please see  our suggestions  for how to adapt this lesson for remote or blended learning. We have also noted suggestions when applicable and will continue to add to these suggestions online.

The following activities and questions are designed to help your students use their noticing skills to move through the poem and develop their thinking about its meaning with confidence, using what they’ve noticed as evidence for their interpretations.  Read more about the framework upon which these activities are based .

• Warm-up:  Draw what comes to mind when you hear this line: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” Share your drawing with your classmates. What did you choose to draw and why? 
• Before Reading the Poem:  (think-pair-share) With a partner, look closely at this  photo . What do you notice? Which path would you choose to walk down? Why? What do you think the phrase “the road not taken” means? 
• Reading the Poem : Now, silently read the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. What do you notice about the poem? Note any words or phrases that stand out to you or any questions you might have.
• Listening to the Poem   (enlist two volunteers to read the poem aloud) : Listen as the poem is read aloud twice, and write down any additional words and phrases that stand out to you. Or, you can opt to listen to a reading of the   poem .
• Small-group Discussion : Share what you noticed about the poem with a small group of students. Based on the details you just shared with your small group and the resources from the beginning of class, what do you think that the title “The Road Not Taken” means now? How does the title of the poem impact your reading? How might the poem be different without the title? 
• Whole-class Discussion : How would you describe the narrator? What do you notice about the structure and rhyme scheme of the poem? What do you think of the ending of the poem? 
• Extension for Grades 7-8 : Join with a partner or small group and generate a list of different titles for the poem. Share with your classmates and decide on your favorite titles. Choose one or more of the titles, or use “The Road Not Taken” and write your own poem. 
• Extension for Grades 9-12:  Prepare for a Socratic seminar about “The Road Not Taken” by reading the essay “ The Road Not Taken: The Poem Everyone Loves and Everyone Gets Wrong ” and writing your own response.

Find more lesson plans featuring classic poems ranging from  Romanticism  to  Modernism  with  this round-up , including poems by  Dylan Thomas ,  Emily Dickinson ,  Edgar Allan Poe , and others. 

Metaphor : a comparison between essentially unlike things, or the application of a name or description to something to which it is not literally applicable.  Read more .

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Robert Frost

The road not taken.

#1916 #AmericanWriters #DecisionMaking #FreeWill #Human #MountainInterval #Nature

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Other works by Robert Frost...

Some of you will be glad I did wh… And the rest won’t want to punish… For finding a thing to do that tho… Yet wasn’t enjoined and wasn’t exp… To punish me over cruelly wouldn’t…

To Ridgely Torrence On Last Looking into His 'Hesper… I often see flowers from a passing… That are gone before I can tell w… I want to get out of the train and…

I slumbered with your poems on my… Spread open as I dropped them hal… Like dove wings on a figure on a t… To see, if in a dream they brought… I might not have the chance I mis…

Blood has been harder to dam back… Just when we think we have it impo… Behind new barrier walls (and let… It breaks away in some new kind of… We choose to say it is let loose b…

ONCE on the kind of day called “… When the heat slowly hazes and the… By its own power seems to be undon… I was half boring through, half cl… A swamp of cedar. Choked with oil…

Such a fine pullet ought to go All coiffured to a winter show, And be exhibited, and win. The answer is this one has been— And come with all her honors home.

Something there is that doesn’t lo… That sends the frozen—ground—swell… And spills the upper boulders in t… And makes gaps even two can pass a… The work of hunters is another thi…

One thing has a shelving bank, Another a rotting plank, To give it cozier skies And make up for its lack of size. My own strategic retreat

A lantern light from deeper in the… Shone on a man and woman in the do… And threw their lurching shadows o… Near by, all dark in every glossy… A horse’s hoof pawed once the holl…

I found a dimpled spider, fat and… On a white heal-all, holding up a… Like a white piece of rigid satin… Assorted characters of death and b… Mixed ready to begin the morning r…

We sit indoors and talk of the col… And every gust that gathers streng… Is a threat to the house. But the… We think of the tree. If it never… We’ll know, we say, that this was…

(To hear us talk) The tree the tempest with a crash… Throws down in front of us is not… Our passage to our journey’s end f… But just to ask us who we think we…

It snowed in spring on earth so dr… The flakes could find no landing p… Hordes spent themselves to make it… And still they failed of any lasti… They made no white impression on t…

No, I had set no prohibiting sign… And yes, my land was hardly fenced… Nevertheless the land was mine: I was being trespassed on and agai… Whoever the surly freedom took

If, as they say, some dust thrown… Will keep my talk from getting ove… I’m not the one for putting off th… Let it be overwhelming, off a roof And round a corner, blizzard snow…

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

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.

The philosophical approach to life and creativity, which is typical for the author, is also evident in this work. In the first line of the poem “The Road Not Taken” the author offers the reader an image of a road fork.

Life choices

Throughout life and every day of life, a person – and the hero of the poem is not an exception – makes certain choices. In the poem this situation is shown on the most obvious external image of the fork. The road branches out, and the wayfarer had to make a decision, choosing one or another road. His choice influences the duration, the comfort of the path and final result, so this choice is very important.

Often it seems to the person that he knows exactly what is at the end of one of the roads, however this assumption is far from true. Withal further any path will surely contain new forks.

It is also important that there is no evaluation of the “ right ” or “ wrong ” way in the poem. For the author, it was important to emphasize this – any decision taken by a person has its consequences. And an attempt to evaluate all decisions only as correct or incorrect, complicates the path.

The hero of the poem compares two roads. Both are approximately the same, although one goes to the undergrowth, and the other – to the other direction. In the moment, which is shown in the poem, both roads are described by the author as sprinkled with leaves, and this means that there were no any travelers before the hero. There is no reason to follow another person, to use his choice “ for the company “. There are all reasons to approach the choice, based on your own preferences and thoughts.

Considering this picture as an image of time and life path, the reader is already differently look at the possibility of “ coming back “. And the author confirms our conjecture – “I doubted if I should ever come back”.

The road at the fork is converted into two identical roads. And each of them is equivalent to the other, although it is quite obvious that any choice leads to the fact that “ And that has made all the difference “.

Wisdom for the future

At first glance, the poem has a descriptive momentary character. On the second – it is deeply philosophical and concerns the present time. However, we can also say that there is a future in it. But the hero of the poem does not even strive to appreciate this future. Nevertheless, his words “ I shall be telling this with a sigh of Somewhere in ages and ages hence ” are of great importance to the hero himself. He seems to reserve the right in the future to tell about this choice differently, what it looks like in reality. To tell, but do not force yourself to believe it. After all, in reality there are two absolutely identical roads in front of him.

Greeting to a friend

Thinking over the images of the poem “The Road Not Taken”, it is worth to learn its history. Robert Frost described it quite simply – it’s a greeting to his friend, Edward Thomas. A friend, also a poet, has repeatedly regretted the “ other way “? which was not selected, about (perhaps) wrongly made choice. And this repeated return to “if” became the basis for writing this poem. Robert Frost was absolutely convinced that “ there is no other way “, there is only the way that a person goes through. Only the choice that was made is real. As for the possibility of “ going the other way, ” it does not exist in the past. Nevertheless, such an opportunity is present, but only in the present.

The poet himself wrote to Edward Thomas that such fruitless regrets about the unelected path are not a consequence of the choice itself. After all, if he chose another path, he would equally regret the missed opportunities of the “ other way “.

The poem has a convenient form for perception, and its images are accessible to the widest circle of people. Maybe the author wanted many interpretations of his poem? In this case, he certainly was pleased.

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