Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken is one of the most famous poems about making choices in life.
It's often quoted as encouragement to be independent, follow your own path and make decisions that other people might avoid.
But there's a surprising problem with that interpretation.
In the poem, the traveller initially notices that one road looks slightly less worn. However, he soon admits that both roads are actually much alike.
Yet when he imagines retelling the story years later, he expects to describe his choice as taking the road less travelled.
Was Frost really celebrating independence, or was he questioning how we explain our decisions afterwards?
There's another interesting detail. Frost originally wrote the poem partly as a joke involving his friend Edward Thomas, who often wondered whether they should have taken a different route during their country walks.
Even Thomas struggled to recognise the humour!
A Few Questions Worth Discussing
- Do you interpret the poem as a celebration of independence or as a warning about how we remember our choices?
- Does the traveller's final sigh suggest satisfaction, regret, uncertainty or something else?
- Have you ever looked back on a decision and wondered what might have happened if you had chosen differently?
- Does knowing about Frost's friendship with Edward Thomas change how you interpret the poem?
- Should a poet's original intention determine what a poem means, or can readers find equally valid interpretations of their own?
- Why do you think the poem has become so strongly associated with following an unconventional path?
The Meaning of The Road Not Taken - Songs And Poems
What does the poem mean to you?
Different interpretations are welcome, particularly when supported by the poem's wording.
All respectful contributions are encouraged.