So last night I was analyzing some of Robert Lee Frost's poetry, including Crossing by Woods on a Snowy Evening and Birches. The latter uses birch trees as a symbol of joy, childhood, innocence, and naivete. The former tells the narrative of a man riding his horse in the wintertime, and stopping halfway between a forest of tress and a lake which has frozen over.
I interpret the frozen lake as a symbol of depression and isolation. If we apply the symbolism of trees from Birches to this poem, it would mean that the speaker now has to make a choice between wallowing in depression, or returning to childish joy as a form of escapism. Thus the entire poem tells the story of a man who has once again slipped into depression, and not knowing what else to do, turns to childish behavior and naivete as a form of escapism.
Thoughts?
02 Jun 2017, 11:36 am
