Why did Robert Frost choose the road not frequented by people?
The Road Not Taken is a notable literary work by Robert Frost. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Road Not Taken.
Answer
Was Robert Frost wise in choosing the road not frequented by people in “The Road Not Taken?” [NU: 2018]
Or, Why did Robert Frost choose the road not frequented by people? [NU: 2022]
Robert Frost’s (1874-1963) poem “The Road Not Taken” (1915) is about the difficulty of making choices and life’s uncertainty. The poet comes to a point where two roads divide. He has to choose one road. This choice becomes a symbol of life’s decisions.
Less Traveled Road: At the beginning, the poet sees two roads in a yellow wood. He feels sad that he cannot travel both roads. He looks down one road as far as he can see. He tries to decide which road has better rewards for him. Frost finally chooses the second path. He thinks this road is “less traveled” and “grassy”. The poet chooses this road because he thinks this road will bring a better outcome. But soon he realizes that both roads are about the same. Both roads have equally untrodden leaves. This shows confusion. In real life, we also become confused about our decisions.
Significance of Choice: Was Frost wise in choosing the less-traveled road? The poem does not give us an answer. Frost imagines himself telling someone about his choice in the future. He will say with a sigh that his choice changed his life completely. He will say:
“I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
It means each decision shapes our lives significantly. But we never know its outcome beforehand. This is life’s uncertainty. So, the poem is not really about choosing the right road. Frost actually presents the difficulty of making choices and life’s uncertainty.
In short, Frost chose the less-traveled road to have a better outcome. But choosing one road means losing the opportunity of the other road. It remains uncertain which one is the right path.