Scribd
Upload
26 views3 pages

ASM3_427

Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken' explores the theme of choices and the dilemmas faced when making decisions in life. The poet encounters a fork in the road, symbolizing life's choices, and ultimately chooses the less traveled path, reflecting his adventurous nature and desire to take risks. The poem emphasizes the significance of our choices and their lasting impact on our lives.

Uploaded by

flyingorigami0808
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
26 views3 pages

ASM3_427

Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken' explores the theme of choices and the dilemmas faced when making decisions in life. The poet encounters a fork in the road, symbolizing life's choices, and ultimately chooses the less traveled path, reflecting his adventurous nature and desire to take risks. The poem emphasizes the significance of our choices and their lasting impact on our lives.

Uploaded by

flyingorigami0808
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Class IX The Road Not Taken- by Robert Frost 2025-26

This handout is for your reference and self-study only:

Central theme of the poem:


The central theme in Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken," is about making choices. The speaker
in the poem is travelling and comes upon a fork-in-the-road. Here he must decide which way to
continue travelling. The poem talks about the choices that we must make in life. The poet, while
walking, comes across a fork turn and has to decide which road to take. He starts debating with
himself about which road to take, since he cannot travel on both. The first road appears to be used
more frequently than the second one. The poet is tempted to take the undisturbed road. However,
he wishes to use the other road sometime later in life. In the last stanza, the poet talks about a day
in the future, when he will look back at the choices he has made in life. He feels that his life will be
different from everyone else's because of the choices and decisions he has opted for. He has an
adventurous streak and chooses to follow the unconventional. He does not want to follow on
another's footsteps. He is an adventurer and chooses to take risks. His choices have been
successful, and have made all the difference.

Key points:
 Deals with the problem of making the right choice.
 We are faced with dilemmas in life; alternatives that confuse us.
 It is often difficult to choose and our decisions influence our future.
 The poet is an adventurous man who wishes to risk everything by taking the road that not many
had used.
 The poem talks about taking risks and believing in oneself.

Solved questions:
Q.1. What message does the poem “The Road not Taken” give us?
The poem tells us that we should choose what we love doing; not go with the flow; not to follow the
conventional route like everyone else’ try taking risks.

Q.2. In the poem the poet has an adventurous nature. Comment.


The poet of the poem has an adventurous nature. He likes to take risks and does not wish to follow
the conventional route. He wishes to do things differently. He is satisfied with the choices he has
made in his life.

Q.3. Describe the two roads that the poet comes across. What do the roads symbolise?
Ans: The two roads that the poet comes across had diverged into two directions in the forest. The
first one is a beaten path, used by people, where the grass has been flattened by passing footsteps.
The other road is lesser used, covered with grass and leaves. It shows that not many people have
walked on it.
The two roads symbolise the choices that one faces in life.

Q.4. Which road does the poet choose? Why?


OR
What does the poet's choice of the road tell us about his nature?
Ans: The poet chose the grassy road that was less travelled by the people. This was because he
was an adventurous man and was tempted to see where this road would lead him. He did not like
laid down norms and wanted to follow the unconventional. He liked taking risks. He also wanted to
tell the world whether his choice was successful or not.

Q.5. Is the speaker happy about his decision?


Ans: Yes, the speaker seems happy about his decision to choose the road that was not used by
many people.

Q.6. Bring out the symbolism in the poem.


Ans: The poet has used the two roads to symbolise the choices we face in life. Both choices seem
equally attractive. It is the dilemma to choose the right option.
The poet chooses the word 'yellow' to symbolise the season of autumn. It is only after many years
that we can really understand whether our decisions were fruitful and successful or not.

POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE POEM:


 Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound within a line of poetry.
Eg: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
The "o" sound is repeated in "roads" and "yellow."
 Personification: Personification is the giving of human characteristics to non-human/non-living
things.
Eg: Because it was grassy and wanted wear.(A path cannot want, only a human can want
something)
 Metaphor- A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to a person, idea,
or object to which it is not literally applicable.
Eg: The poet is comparing the choices in life one must make to the roads that are in front of him. The
roads represent the choices in life.
 Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds such as /d/ in “two roads
diverging in a yellow wood”
 Alliteration- Is the repetition of the initial letter (generally a consonant) or first sound of several
words, marking the stressed syllables in a line of poetry
Eg: wanted wear
first for
 Imagery-When a poet uses words to represent actions/ideas/objects in such a way that they
appeal to one or more of our senses.
Eg: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black
 Setting: The poem has been set in a forest.

An example of rhyme scheme:


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 travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The rhyme scheme of the above extract is a b a a b

Long Answer Type Questions


I. Explain the dilemma of the poet in making a choice in the poem, “The Road Not
Taken”. (Answer in 80-100 words).
The poet faces an archetypal dilemma when must make choice of the two roads. It is not
possible for him to take both, as much as he would like to, so he spends time in
contemplation. He cannot see far, not far enough to make a confident decision as to the
better nature of one over the other. He doubts if he chooses one road over the other,
whether he will ever be able to come back to take the other road. The roads signify the
opportunities that one chooses in life. Whether or not one has a reason why the choice one
makes is better, one must make it. And that choice changes one’s life.

II. And both that morning equally lay


In leaves no step had trodden black.
(i) What does the word ‘both’ refer to?
(ii) What did the poet observe in that morning?
(iii)Find a word from the extract that means “crushed or pressed something with the
feet”.

Answer-
(i) 'Both' refers to the two roads which diverged in a forest.

(ii) The poet observed that in that morning both the roads were covered with leaves which
haven't been turned black by the steps crushing them.

(iii)Trodden.

III. What is the significance of choosing a road in the poem, “The Road Not Taken”? Give
your views in 80-100 words.
The two roads that the poet faces in his walk or journey symbolise the choices that we have
to make in our life. The journey is a metaphor for the journey of life. In the poem the poet,
after analysing and contemplating about the two roads, decides to take the road less
travelled. He seems to be ready to accept its challenges and uncertainties. It is the final
irreversible decision that the poet takes and it has its own consequences. It can be positive
or negative. In real life also we face such critical situations where we have to make a choice
which may be life changing options. We should analyse and contemplate over the choices
as far as possible before making a choice because the decision we make is crucial. We
should remember that once we make the decision and proceed accordingly, we can never
reverse it. We may not be given a second chance to change our decision and take a
different course of life later.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……….

You might also like