In this video, I analyse one of the most famous American poems of all time - 'The Road Not Taken', by Frost aka the wizard of using simple, accessible language to convey deep, poignant ideas. 'The Road Not Take' is such a relatable poem for everyone, because at least on the surface, it’s about a dilemma that we would have encountered at various points in life - what if I were to make a completely different decision about whatever? Instead of becoming a corporate lawyer, what if I had pursued my passion and went to art school? Instead of marrying my childhood sweetheart, what if I had waited until later and explored more relationships? Instead of staying in my hometown, what if I had taken the leap to travel the world and became a digital nomad?
By the time we reach a certain age, there’s bound to be a basket of ever-growing ‘what ifs’, and while some of them will elicit feelings of regret, others may simply inspire bouts of wistfulness, or even strengthen our appreciation of the choices that we did end up making.
Join me in close reading this beautiful piece of writing as I dive into the language, nuances and form of this poem.
TIMESTAMPS:
01:12 - Context of the poet and poem
02:30 - Analysis: Stanza 1
04:45 - Analysis: Stanzas 2-3
07:27 - Analysis: Stanza 4
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