Critical Interpretation of "the Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

Critical Interpretation of "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

As a poem, "The Road Not Taken" is a great source of inspiration and able to be understood by all readers from an intuitive reader to a novice poem reader. A short poem with 4 sections, Robert Frost has given the main theme of the poem in its title, "The Road Not Taken." Depending on the reader, the "road not taken" can ultimately imply any journey in life in which a decision between two paths must be made.

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood" provides the introduction and gives the main idea that a path must be chosen from two roads. Frost has further added to the drama of the decision in that both paths are desirable with "and sorry I could not travel both."

Frost implies that the path to be chosen is a personal decision in "and be one traveler." In describing the two paths, Frost uses reverse language to describe. The first path was "bent in the undergrowth," meaning it was well worn with no opportunity for overgrowth. The second path was "grassy and wanted wear" meaning it was overgrown and lacked wear (or a path). Frost foreshadows his decision by his use of language in describing those two paths.

With both roads or paths equal, ultimately a decision must be made with no regret is the meaning Frost is providing in "And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black." As Frost has made his decision as to which path to pursue, he introduces another idea that after traveling the selected path perhaps he can come back to the philosophical fork in the road and chose the other path. But then he reminds himself that as one decision leads to other decisions and time moves on, he will more than likely never be able to get back to this point in his life or journey.

If you never understood the first three sections of the poem, the final section provides a more simplified version of the issue and decision. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I...took the one less traveled by." Frost further provides thought and inspiration on how to be successful in that the decision to pick the road less traveled "... has made all the difference."