Poem Analysis: "The Road Not Taken"

The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
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 traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Analysis:

I've always loved this poem, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. It portrays such a stong message that all of us can relate to. The poet, Robert Frost, compares a journey alone through the woods to the journey through life. We all come to places in our life where we must make a tough decision and as stated in the poem, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,/ And sorry I could not take both" (Frost 1-2). The man/woman in the poem has come to a part in the road where it splits in two. That represents the decision that must be made. Making decisions is one of the hardest parts of life. We want to make others and ourselves happy, which don't always agree. But if we know what is right, and don't worry about what others think, it will more than likely turn out the way we hoped. This is illustated when, the end the poem says, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-/ I took the one less traveled by,/ And that has made all the difference" (Frost 18-20).

This poem portrays a very positive message about decision making and doing what you know is right. In the poem, there are two different roads and as described in the poem. One road looks safer and more appealing than the other. He is indecisive about which road to take but decides to take the "Road less traveled" and states, "And that has made all the difference" (Frost 20). Frost is showing us that it is okay to go against the status quo of society because in the end, it will benefit us. I feel this poem goes along with our topic of first quarter, ethics. If you do what you know is right, you will feel no regret and be proud of yourself for being courageous.