Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening (Poem)

Unit 1 – Poem

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Frost

Warm Up

1. Have you ever travelled through a forest? How did you feel?
2. Did you have any time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the forest?

The Poem

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

About the Author

Robert Frost (1874–1968) was an American poet noted for his realistic descriptions of rural life. Born on 26 March 1874, he spent his first 40 years as an unknown entity. He received four Pulitzer prizes for poetry and was a special guest at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. Frost became a poetic force and the unofficial Poet Laureate of the United States. Some of his famous works are The Road Not Taken, West Running Brook, Mending Wall, After Apple Picking, etc.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the former Prime Minister of India, had the last two lines of this poem written in block letters and placed it on his desk as these lines reminded him of his responsibilities.

Glossary

• queer (adj.) – strange, odd
• woods (n) – an area of land covered with a thick growth of trees
• harness (n) – straps and fittings by which a horse is fastened to a cart or carriage
• frozen (adj.) – in ice form
• sweep (v) – to move swiftly and smoothly
• downy (adj.) – soft and fluffy
• flake (n) – a small piece of snowflake

A. Memorise the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.

B. Read the following lines and answer the questions.

1. He will not see me stopping here
   To watch his woods fill up with snow.

a) Whom does ‘he’ refer to?
b) Identify the season in these lines.

1. My little horse must think it queer
   To stop without a farmhouse near

a) Who is the speaker?
b) Why should the horse think it queer?
c) Pick out the rhyming words.

1. He gives his harness bells a shake
   To ask if there is some mistake.

a) Whom does ‘he’ refer to in these lines?
b) Why does ‘he’ give his harness bells a shake?
c) How does the horse communicate with the poet?

1. The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
   But I have promises to keep

a) How are the woods?
b) Whom does ‘I’ refer to?
c) What are the promises the speaker is talking about?

1. And miles to go before I sleep,
   And miles to go before I sleep.

a) Why has the poet used the same line twice?
b) Explain: miles to go before I sleep.

C. Complete the summary of the poem by filling in the blanks.

After a long travel the poet entered a forest. He wondered to whom the wood belonged! He realized that the owner of the wood lived in a village. He thought that the owner would not be able to see him stopping in his woods to watch snow fill the woods. The poet felt that the horse would think it very strange to stop near the woods as he had never stopped there before. He was actually standing between the woods and frozen lake. The time was the darkest evening of the year. The horse indicated that the poet has made a mistake by shaking its head. The poet felt that the woods are lovely, dark and deep. He suddenly realized that he had worldly responsibilities which would not allow him to stay in the woods for a long time.

D. Answer the questions in two or three sentences.

1. What information does the poet highlight about the season and the time of the day in the poem?
2. In which way is the reaction of the speaker different from that of the horse? What does it convey?
3. What are the sounds heard by the poet?
4. The poet is aware of two choices. What are they? What choice does he make ultimately?
5. Pick out words from the poem that bring to mind peace and quiet.

E. Identify the rhyme scheme used in each stanza. One example has been done for you.

Stanza	Rhyme scheme
1	aaba
2
3
4

F. Complete the table by identifying lines, against the poetic devices from the poem. One example is done for you.

Poetic device	Lines from the poem
Alliteration	watch his woods
Personification
Repetition
Imagery

Writing

G. Answer the following questions in a paragraph about 80–100 words.

1. It is said, “The choices made by one, shapes one’s destiny”. Ponder on the thought and write a paragraph.

H. Work in pairs and discuss the factors that contribute towards making a choice and make a presentation to the class.

Read and Enjoy

Leisure

William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Practice Practice Exercises

1. Have you ever travelled through a forest? How did you feel

2. Did you have any time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the forest?

a) Whom does ‘he’ refer to?

b) Identify the season in these lines.

a) Who is the speaker?

b) Why should the horse think it queer?

c) Pick out the rhyming words.

a) Whom does ‘he’ refer to in these lines?

b) Why does ‘he’ give his harness bells a shake?

c) How does the horse communicate with the poet?

a) How are the woods?

b) Whom does ‘I’ refer to?

c) What are the promises the speaker is talking about?

a) Why the poet has used the same line twice?

b) Explain: miles to go before I sleep

After a long travel the poet entered a . He wondered to whom the wood ! He realized that the owner of the wood lived in a . He thought that the owner would not be able to him stopping in his woods to watch fill the woods. The poet felt that the horse would think it very to stop near the woods as he had never . He was actually standing between the woods and . The time was . The horse indicated that the poet has made a by shaking its head. The poet felt that the woods are lovely, and . He suddenly realized that he had worldly which would not allow him to in the woods for a long time.

1. What information does the poet highlight about the season and the time of the day in the poem?

2. In which way is the reaction of the speaker different from that of the horse? What does it convey?

3. What are the sounds heard by the poet?

4. The poet is aware of two choices. What are they? What choice does he make ultimately?

5. Pick out words from the poem that bring to mind peace and quiet.