Road Not Taken the Poem "The Road Term Paper

Road Not Taken

The Poem "The Road Not Taken" is a first person narrative about an important decision in the life of the protagonists. The central theme that is explored throughout the poem is the question of individualism and the choices that an individual makes in life. The poem attempts to deal with an important issue - namely, do we have the courage to make our own decisions in life or should we simply agree with the decisions and opinions of others.

It is important to see this poem and its theme as forming part of a wider literary tradition. The themes of the individual and society, and the concept of individual freedom and nonconformity were important issues during the Modernist period of literature. These have their foundation in the Romantic revolution against conformity and the search for alternative meaning of the 18th and 19th Centuries. The Romantic poets were the first to openly rebel against the reduction of humanity to rules and prescribed social formulas. The poem under discussion is aligned with this tendency.

In the poem the central metaphor that the poet uses to explore these themes is the road as a metaphor for life and the search for meaning. The road is a symbol of life's journey and the poem begins with the realization that there are many different paths or options on this journey.Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

The first stanza lays out the basic idea of the poem. The very first line of the poem emphasizes the important decision that has to be made and the word "diverged" indicates the point of separation in the road of life. It is important to note how in the above stanza the narrator lingers over his decision, indicating its importance to his personal life.

However, the choice is not clear-cut or easy to make as the narrator is not sure of what lies ahead on the path that he has chosen.

The poet chooses his words with great care and the significance of the word "undergrowth" is important in that it acts as a symbol or metaphor for mystery and uncertainty. The poet also uses simple rhyme in lines three and four to emphasize the intent and time that the narrator takes to make his decision. This serves to highlight the words "stood" and "could"

In the second stanza the narrator makes his choice and takes one of the roads. The choice that he makes is never certain, as is any choice made in life.….....