The Poetry of Robert Frost Ms .De La O English 9

Robert Frost (1874-1963) The most popular American poet of the twentieth century. Most Americans recognize his name and the titles of and lines from his best-known poems Won four Pulitzer prizes

Early Life Born on March 26, 1874. His father died when he was eleven years old. Mother was a schoolteacher Moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts 1892: graduated from a high school Dartmouth College

Early Career 1894: the New York Independent published "My Butterfly” Worked as a teacher and continued to write From 1897 to 1899 Frost studied at Harvard

Marriage, Family, and the Dark Years 1895: married Elinor White; they had six children. First child, Elliot was born on September 29, 1896. Died in 1900 1900: mother died 1901: death of William Prescott Frost, Sr.

A Risky Move Popular image as a farmer-poet 1911: Sold the farm Farming and teaching school. 1911: Sold the farm moved his family to England

The New American Genius Moved back to the US in 1915 1916: began teaching at Amhert College 1924 - Awarded Pulitzer Prize for New Hampshire in May. Suffered from depression and self-doubt

The inspiration Tragedy not in his work Experiences helped shape and color the views of life's possibilities and its limits Human isolation

The New American Genius Frost's images - woods, stars, houses, and brooks Down-to-earth approach to his subjects Easy to follow the poet into deeper truths

Aspects of Frost's poetry: “nature” poet set in rural or pastoral surroundings using contraries and contradictions using common speech deep meanings exist beneath a simple exterior

A Modern Poet Ordinary speech Formal patterns of line and stanza Traditional forms and structures Themes of alienation and isolation subtle undertone of fear or uneasiness

Motifs in Frost's Poetry: the cycle of the seasons the alternation of night and day natural phenomenon rural images