Road Not Taken the Poem \"The Road

¶ … Road Not Taken

The Poem "The Road Not Taken" is a first person narrative about an important decision in the life of the protagonists. The central theme that is explored throughout the poem is the question of individualism and the choices that an individual makes in life. The poem attempts to deal with an important issue - namely, do we have the courage to make our own decisions in life or should we simply agree with the decisions and opinions of others.

It is important to see this poem and its theme as forming part of a wider literary tradition. The themes of the individual and society, and the concept of individual freedom and nonconformity were important issues during the Modernist period of literature. These have their foundation in the Romantic revolution against conformity and the search for alternative meaning of the 18th and 19th Centuries. The Romantic poets were the first to openly rebel against the reduction of humanity to rules and prescribed social formulas. The poem under discussion is aligned with this tendency.

In the poem the central metaphor that the poet uses to explore these themes is the road as a metaphor for life and the search for meaning. The road is a symbol of life's journey and the poem begins with the realization that there are many different paths or options on this journey.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

The first stanza lays out the basic idea of the poem. The very first line of the poem emphasizes the important decision that has to be made and the word "diverged" indicates the point of separation in the road of life. It is important to note how in the above stanza the narrator lingers over his decision, indicating its importance to his personal life.

However, the choice is not clear-cut or easy to make as the narrator is not sure of what lies ahead on the path that he has chosen.

The poet chooses his words with great care and the significance of the word "undergrowth" is important in that it acts as a symbol or metaphor for mystery and uncertainty. The poet also uses simple rhyme in lines three and four to emphasize the intent and time that the narrator takes to make his decision. This serves to highlight the words "stood" and "could"

In the second stanza the narrator makes his choice and takes one of the roads. The choice that he makes is never certain, as is any choice made in life. The entire second stanza indicates that there is a great amount of risk and uncertainly in the choice of the path one takes in life. The first line of the stanza suggests that there is very little obvious difference between the two roads and each appeared "just as fair." The poet also uses the word "perhaps," again indicating that the choice is risky and by no means an easy one to make. The poet uses poetic devices such as alliteration to add to the meaning of the stanza. The alliteration in line three, "wanted wear," serves to reinforce the decision to take the path that was less used and not the common choice.

The poet or narrator is aware that once a choice is made or a road taken then this will determine the future to a great extent and there is little chance of retracing his steps or undoing the decision.

Yet knowing how way lead on to way, doubted if I should ever come back.

The last stanza projects the reader into a possible future where the narrator surmises how the choice he is making may affect his life. The central concerns of the poem come to a climax in this stanza. The choice that has been made will make a permanent and lasting affect on the narrator's life. This is emphasized in the following lines.

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The implication of the last line of the poem is that it is by taking the road less traveled - the unconventional path - and by following one's own choices one brings about a difference to one's life. In other words the most important decisions in life should be made from the base of one's own individuality and sense of purpose and not by merely following the most commonly used path. Also notice how the repetition of the word "ages" in line two of the stanza serves to emphasize the long and possibly sad passing of time.