Perseverance in Robert Frosts Stopping by Woods on a...

Perseverance in Robert Frosts Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Epictetus once wrote, First say what you would be; and then do what you have to do. This aphorism of self-discovery and obligation clearly describes Robert Frosts poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. In the course of the poem, Frosts speaker is confronted with two choices: he can either forget his problems or he can follow through with his responsibilities and make the most of life. It is through Frosts remarkable presentation of the speakers thoughts that the reader may see how difficult this decision can be. Through powerful elements, such as alliteration, rhythm, and imagery, Frost stresses the importance of perseverence and facing ones fears and†¦show more content†¦Through clever and distant alliteration, Frost displays the importance of deciding whether to remain strong and press forward or to cowardly give up. Despite its possibly being the more difficult path, Frost signifies the essence of perseverence through rhythm. Throughout the poem, Frost employs a repetitive, trance-like rhythm to compliment the speakers struggle to fight off reality and remain in his carefree world. Furthermore, Jhan Hochman explains it as an ingenious form of interlocking rhyme: the third unrhymed line of the first three stanzas provokes the subsequent stanzas rhymed sound (Hochman 4). Frosts use of rhythm is an eloquent and clever element that expresses the weak and weary state of the speaker in his moment of a life-changing decision. Yet, in the last stanza frost brings his flowing lines to an abrupt halt with But I have promises to keep (Frost 13). With this line, Frost not only shifts the meter of the poem, but also signifies the speakers realization that he cannot give up or quit because of the life commitments he has made. Frost powerfully uses the rhythm in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening to emphasiz e the importance of choosing the path of life and all of its responsibilities instead of the easy way out. With imagery, Frost again stresses the significance of persevering over ones fears. The