How Does Frost Express His Patriotic Feeling in His Poem ‘The Gift Outright’? 

Answer

How does Frost express his patriotic feeling in his poem “The Gift Outright”? [2020] 

Robert Frost’s (1874-1963) poem “The Gift Outright” (1942) expresses his deep love and pride for his country, America. The poem tells how Americans slowly gave themselves completely to their land and made it truly their own. Frost shows that real patriotism is not only about owning land but also about giving one’s heart, soul, and effort to the country.

America Before Freedom: Frost begins by saying,

“The land was ours before we were the land’s.”

This means that even though they lived on American land, they still belonged to England. They were English colonials. They owned the land but did not yet feel it as their own country.

The Struggle for Freedom: The poet says that something was missing. Americans were withholding themselves from their own land. Then, they fought for freedom during the American Revolutionary War against British colonial rule. Only when they fought for freedom did they become part of the American nation. Frost writes that they found peace and identity when they gave themselves completely to their country.

Love and Dedication to the Nation: Frost calls this act of giving themselves completely to the country a “gift outright.”

“…We gave ourselves outright.”

It means a full and honest offering. Through their hard work and wars, Americans turned a wild land into a great nation. This shows the poet’s pride as a dedicated American.

To sum up, in “The Gift Outright,” Robert Frost expresses strong patriotic feelings. He celebrates the spirit of freedom and dedication that made America a proud and independent nation.