Robert Frost- Molly Giles

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." -Robert Frost 

 

Photo (1) courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Frost
Photo (2) courtesy of: http://thenewschoolhistory.org/?ppl=robert-frost

Background:
Robert Frost was born March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, but moved to New Hampshire when he was
11 after the death of his father. He attended Dartmouth and Harvard University for periods of time, but never earned a formal college degree. He married Elinor White and they had six children, two of whom died. His poetry career flourished when he moved to England in 1912 and became a well-renowned poet, and upon returning  to America in 1915, he had an impressive reputation and Henry Holt became his publisher. Frost's works became increasingly popular and he became an American icon. He taught at Dartmouth, University of Michigan, and Middlebury College. Additionally, he spent over 45 years teaching at Amherst college. Unfortunately, Robert Frost died in Boston on January 29, 1963.

Photo courtesy of: http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/news.aspx?id=540

Influences:
Robert Frost was influenced by British poets: Edward Thomas, Rupert Brooke, and Robert Graves. Thomas and Frost became good friends when Robert moved to England, Robert Frost described their companionship fondly,  “I never had, I never shall have another such year of friendship.” Edward Thomas was an advocate for  Robert's work, and often provided support and encouragement. Rupert Brooke was an English poet who also met Frost when he moved to England. Robert Graves and Robert Frost are considered to have very similar poetic styles as both of their works are often short, ironic, and lyrical. Another influence of Robert Frost was the early- nineteenth century poet, William Wordsworth.  Wordsworth had a profound affect on Frost's work due to his insight into the common man's life- a prominent characteristic of Robert Frost's writings.

Works:
Frost is without a doubt one of the most highly acclaimed and most popular poets in America. However, his outstanding reputation did not develop until his time in England due to the unrelenting rejection he faced as a young, ambitious American poet. Robert Frost established an impressive notoriety in England, which assisted his career in America. His first collections of work were: A Boy's Will (Henry Holt and Company, 1913) and North of Boston (Henry Holt and Company, 1914), jump starting his career. Robert Frost is considered to have written in a traditional style and remained uninfluenced by any new poetic approaches. He was inspired by the New England landscape, his wife, and his comrades.

Photo courtesy of: https://dailybeeper.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/john-f-kennedy-inauguration/

Legacy:
Robert Frost was not only an icon in American society, but he was repeatedly rewarded for his poetic works. Frost won four Pulitzer Prizes for poetry: 1924, 1931, 1937, and 1943. His success in poetry enhanced his popularity as he became involved in politics. Frost represented the United States in an overseas mission, in the Soviet Union, to help defend the United States during the Cuban missile crisis. When he visited the Soviet Premier Khrushchev and announced that Americans are "too liberal too fight" and was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, which appreciates outstanding citizenship. Robert Frost was played a significant role in the communication exchange between the two powers, which eventually benefitted the American's safety.


Prezi:




Video biography:


If you would like to learn more about Robert Frost, visit: 

http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/robert-frost

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/robert-frost

http://www.biography.com/people/robert-frost-20796091

Poem: 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, 

And sorry I could not travel both 

And be one traveler, long I stood 

And looked down one as far as I could 

To where it bent in the undergrowth; 

Then took the other, as just as fair, 

And having perhaps the better claim, 

Because it was grassy and wanted wear; 

Though as for that the passing there 

Had worn them really about the same, 

And both that morning equally lay 

In leaves no step had trodden black. 

Oh, I kept the first for another day! 

Yet knowing how way leads on to way, 

I doubted if I should ever come back. 

I shall be telling this with a sigh 

Somewhere ages and ages hence: 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— 

I took the one less traveled by, 

And that has made all the difference.

Works cited:

"Robert Frost." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

"Robert Frost." poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. 

     <http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/robert-frost>. 

"Robert Graves." New World Encyclopedia. N.p., 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. 

     <http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Robert_Graves>. 

Udall, Stewart L. "Robert Frost's Last Adventure." New York Times [New York] 11 

     June 1972: n. pag. Print.

"William Wordsworth." poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 

     2015. <http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/edward-thomas>.