Many people do not even imagine how they are dependent on decisions they make, either it is a necessity to wear a new suit or an intention to get married. Decision-making may be a serious topic for discussion at a different age, and Robert Frost was one of the American poets who examined this process. “The Road Not Taken” is his famous poem about why decisions matter in human life, why people cannot create a single opinion about their actions, and what consequences are usually expected. In 1912, Frost made his “momentous decision” to move his family from America to England, and his “Road Not Taken” is not only a description of how people choose but how they deal with consequences afterward.
In fact, the life of Frost was not too complicated as it was closely connected to his family and the opportunities offered by his father. The poet combined his farming affairs and teaching career for several years, thus creating successful poems. Still, at the age of 38, Frost faced a serious threat to quit his job at the school and retreat the farm. Frost’s daughter, Lesley, remembered that her mother (Frost’s wife Elinor) “longed for England with all her heart, to live, as she put it, ‘in a thatched cottage’” (Hart 148). A final, “momentous” decision was made on a coin toss, which showed heads for England in 1912. The Frosts moved to England, and Robert believed that some excitement, peace, and new experiences could improve his writing.
On the one hand, the decision to leave America seemed to be difficult for the poet, and he shared his doubts in “The Road Not Taken”. In the beginning, Frost said that he was sorry about the inability to choose between the two roads, and then he underlined that he could not come back (87). In the majority of cases, people had a solid background for their choices, and it is not always easy to clarify which option is better. Therefore, multiple dilemmas, questions, and evaluations occur to understand which road needs to be taken. All these lines proved that Frost paid much attention to the road that he was not able to follow. Still, the decision was made, and he had to recognize the benefits he achieved.
On the other hand, the “road” Frost took could be defined as an easy one because of several reasons. First, his entire family joined him, and Frost did not experience serious losses, still considered the travel as “fresh scenery” (Hart 148). Second, the author explained that there is always some road that has to be “less traveled by” (Frost 87). Therefore, decision-making is not a difficulty, but a challenge that cannot be ignored in human life. Frost’s attitude toward England as the first option and Vancouver as the “road not taken” remains unclear. Any travel is associated with changes, and some people are usually ready for them, and someone is not.
Robert Frost introduced a number of interesting poems for a modern reader, and his thoughts are frequently evaluated in different parts of the globe. “The Road Not Taken” is a significant message for all the people who have to make decisions and choose between options, even if they are not confident in their abilities. Frost mentioned the possibility of mistakes and regrets, but also discussed a variety of opportunities. Decision-making is a gift, a challenge, and a curse for a person, and this individual responsibility cannot be shifted or neglected.
Works Cited
Frost, Robert. The Road Not Taken and Other Poems. Penguin Books, 2015.
Hart, Henry. The Life of Robert Frost: A Critical Biography. John Wiley & Sons, 2017.