Robert Frost The Road Not Taken Questions

SLIDE 10 NOTES In the final stanza, Frost starts to shift from the boy climbing a tree, to describing how he wishes to be free one again from his adult obligations. He also goes on to describe the pains of climbing trees when he was a boy, as being compared to adult responsibilities. As stated in the first line, “It's when I'm weary of considerations”, “Considerations” could mean thoughtful decision making, which is an important adult activity. On the other hand, that’s probably not what he's weary of, rather "considerations" might refer to the give and take of life. This might be a way for the speaker to lament the fact that his life is now filled with responsibilities. In the Next line, “And life is too much like a pathless wood”, Frost

In the first two lines, “I'd like to get away from earth awhile And then come back to it and begin over.”, rather than a permanent escape to his childhood, he’d like an all- expense-paid vacation to an entirely new plain of existence; Just long enough so he can resort his priority's and “begin over”. But in lines 50 through 52, he appears to restate his request, “May no fate willfully misunderstand me And half grant what I wish and snatch me away Not to return.” He's trying to say that he’s exaggerating, just in case some higher power happened to hear him and misinterpret his wish. For he doesn’t want to “end” his life, he just wants a break from it. For in line 53, “Earth's the right place for love: I don't know where it's likely to go better.” Frost actually appreciates the gift of life, and despite its difficulties, he could never leave it behind

In these lines, we return back to the main point of the poem, which is the climbing of birch trees! The overall tone of these lines tend to extend upon his desire to reach that higher plain, but also seems to indicate the way he wishes to get there, even after death. “I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree” This line has a curious wording that needs to be pointed out “I'd like to go by”, these words appear to prove the point that he is referring to the afterlife. For you see, people usually use words like this when talking about their own death, such as, “I'd like to go in my sleep.” So from this wording, it appears Frost would like to reach heaven by climbing a birch tree. On the other hand, the words, “Towards Heaven” in line 56, he indicate that this is how he would prefer to go, but only when his time has come; as further supported by the lines, “till the tree could bear no more, But dipped its top and set me down again.”, indicating that this would like a trial run. In our final two lines, “That would be good both going and coming back. One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.”, Frost concludes with his appreciation of the idea of a break from life's troubles, even if it were “both going and coming back”, and not just a one way trip; because honestly, out of all the crazy ideas and wishes people conduct in their minds, swinging on birches is a simple request. That’s where the meaning of the last line