What do you think the meaning of Stopping by a Woods is?

Question

What do you think the meaning of Robert Frost's poem Stopping by a Woods on a Snowy Evening? Or what do you get from this poem?
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

I do know what this poem means, or have my own interpretation anyway. But thank you for your sarcasm, it is so refreshing. It is great when people share their knowledge freely.

Answer 1

My interpretation is that sometimes in life you get "tired" whether from depression or just being overwhelmed. Sometimes you just want to give up. But if you take the time to look around and see what good there is in life, see the beauty that is all around you, you can put your problems into perspective and find new hope. I think the great thing about poetry is that everyone who reads it can find their own meaning. Maybe something the author never meant to convey but would be glad to know it touched your heart. Text book interpretations are just that, someone elses interpretion. I'd much rather come up with my own than recite someone else's. This is the type of question this category is meant for and anyone who answered you with sarcasm should go elsewhere.

Answer 2

I'd say it's a contemplation of suicide, which can be seen especially in these lines:

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

The "horse" may be the poet's body, which wants to keep on living

"My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake."

but the mind is inclined to "end it all" in "lovely, dark and deep" oblivion.
Could the "owner" of the woods be God, whose house (the church) "is in the village?"

But, in the end, the mind decides against a tempting suicide, for there are responsibilities that must be honored.

Answer 3

Robert Frost wrote this poem in his lovely place in Arlington, Vermont which is now a museum. There behind his house, he has acres of woodlands and a trail that goes around the trees and meadows. Frost always love to walk around these trails and there are benches where he could stop and perhaps gather his toughts and write them down. If you get this chance to walk that trail you will get a good feel of how things were during winter. The poem is about finding time in our busy, hectic life to smell the flowers so to speak, to reflect and slow down a bit and enjoy the fresh air, listen to the chirpping of birds and follow your bliss. Get a life as we all have 'miles to go before we all sleep'

Answer 4

I think Frost is saying the narrator of the poem takes the time to see the beauty of nature around him and would like to stay, but because of obligations must keep moving on.
He's saying that he has a long journey and must be somewhere, but still takes the time to see the beauty of nature.

Answer 5

I believe that the meaning of the poem is that sometimes you must stop for the little things in life. It also means that sometimes if you do not stop for the little things you may miss out on them before you die. I also believe that the man is dying and wants to enjoy what little time he has left before he dies.

Answer 6

The meaning is just what he writes. He is stopping on his way home and watching the snow fall in the woods. Enjoying the moment and life in general. He had been suffering from depression before this after the death of his child. This poem was written to remind him of how many things there are to look forward to in life. So what if his horse thinks he is weird. In addition, his depression caused insomnia.

Answer 7

It's about santa claus. No, actually, our English teacher insited to my adamant class that the poem is not actually about Santa, but I think she said that Frost actually went out to get his kids gifts on christmas (those were his promises), but the stores were closed when he got to town, so he went home without any gifts but with the inspiration for this poem.

Answer 8

you really should do your own homework.
but this poem is mainly about wanting to be somewhere, and with someone when you can't be because of your other obligations.