Marvin Hugley Jr. Essays (2231 words) - Poetry, Literature

Marvin Hugley Jr. Tim Welch English 102 5/22/17 Title: Robert Frost "The unexamined life is not worth living"," Know thyself"The great philosopher Socrates stated these ideas and made it his duty to fulfill his own reasoning. He knew that as human beings, we are a complex system of nature's product that is still very enigmatic to ourselves. Thus, to fully comprehend oneself as an individual, one must look inward and seek the cause and function of one's own natural condition. Many methods are effective in one's search, and this fact holds evident to our own differences, some use social interaction as a form of investigation, while others may find solitary confinement as a more productive approach. Through my own personal path to clarity and understanding, it has proved invaluable to myself that the reading of literature and poetry has a profound effect upon fulfillment. By associating oneself into the thoughts and theories of the writer, one can gain an insight into their personal condition. Robert Frost includes much thought and examples into his own behavior as well as others. Through the analysis of Robert Frost's poetry, one attains an insight into oneself, and a deeper perspective of the human condition. Poems such as "The Death of a Hired Man", "The Road Not Taken", and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" all are incorporated with his thoughts of the natural human condition, and delve into his own definitive bearing.Poetry, he wrote, was "one step backward taken," resisting time-a "momentary stay against confusion."(Baym 1116) The confusion that Frost recalls is the chaos that is included in the search for oneself, and poetry to him was an elapse from the confusion. Itgave him comfort to read and write of his thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, and analyze them in a humanistic nature that many could relate to and enjoy. In the 1930s when writers tended to be political activists, he was one whose old-fashioned values were inappropriate, even dangerous, in modern times. Frost deeply resented this criticism, and responded wit h a new hortatory, didactic kind of poetry. (Baym1116) This style of poetry created an atmosphere that urged the reader to generate perception into the moral subject and envision the meaning behind them. Frost shared with Thoreau and Emerson the belief that everybody is a separate individuality and that collective enterprise could do nothing but weaken the self. (Baym 1116) This theory that Frost shared with the famous transcendentalists conveys that he was a firm believer that one's freedom of others is essential the development for the further understanding of oneself. To many transcendentalists, the pure act of coexisting within nature as an entity, creates a sense of closeness and spirituality within the human mind that is open to hear it. Frost opens the eyes of many to the griefs of country life in "Death of a Hired Man", where he explores the humanistic conditions of belongings, empathy, intolerance, and dignity. Mary and Warren's farm was Silas' only place to call home, where he knew he would always be accepted even if he weren't welcome. Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. (Frost 1122) This was home for Silas, even if his rich brother lived thirteen miles away, who was a "somebody", Silas wouldn't be made ashamed to please his brother. This powerful and sound dignity stressed by Frost, exemplifies his stern belief to uphold one's own pride in oneself. Also, Silas wanted to return with one other wish than to ditch the meadow, he told Mary that he wants to teach Harold, to pass on his one true talent. The human need of belongingness isvery evident within Silas as he hopes to pass on his skill and teach his wisdom to others, to belong and to have something to belong in. He t hinks that if he could teach him that, he'd be some good perhaps to someone in the world. (Frost 1122) Silas wanted to have a last hope for himself, to save his last self-respect. Silas is a character that Frost uses very well to convey his personal ideals of the effect that belongingness has on deprived humans.Another character that Frost portrays to the reader as certain