Metaphoric Structure in Robert Frost’s Poetry

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Robert Frost’s poetry seems to be simple and plain on the surface but it reflects important philosophcal views and values often conveyed through multi-layered text. A metaphor becomes an important means trough which Robert Frost expresses his message. In general, metaphors can reflect characteristics of a country, a culture, an epoch, a literary movemenet a scpecific author belongs to, as well as individual characteristics of an author. It was interesting to study what kinds of metaphors are applied in Robert Frost’s poetry and to what extent they reflect characteristics of American culture. Poems by Robert Frost have been analysed through the criterion of the typological classification of metaphors suggested by Maia and Giorgi Natadze. According to their theory of imagery metaphors are categorized into five types: real, impressionistic, grammar, expressive, and absolute metaphors.

It turned out that metaphors used in Robert Frost’s poetry are “objective“ or “real“ which means that the connection between the frist and the second meanings of a metaphor is grounded in connections existing in the real world allowing readers to perceive their meaning relatively easily.

It is one of the characteristics of R. Frost’s poetics that his poems function as metaphors as a whole and are multi-layered. In such poem-metaphors additional effect is produced by other simple and short metaphors used within the text. As a result, an interesting form of R. Frost’s poem is created. It is simple and plain in its content but at the same time is permeated with different associations and subtle subtexts.

          Robert Frost’s poems in line with the above scheme have an interesting form and through it express the poet’s Weltanschauung. Consequently, it can be said that R. Frost’s poem-metaphors are extended “expressive“ metaphors and their existence is directly connected with the poet’s view that “metaphor is the whole of poetry“.

As to the content, literal and figurative meanings of metaphors reflect universal values as well as characteristics of American culture. It is interesting that in Robert Frost’s poem-metaphor two different cultures, two tendencies existing in American culture are reflected simultaneously . Softly, through metaphors two different epochs and ethos are reflected in the poem. The above scheme can be used as an illustration in this case too. 

Robert Frost’s metaphors often reflect themes of responsibility, time, and commitment, all of which are essential values in American culture. It is also conveyed through a metaphorical poem that R. Frost is a cultural pessimist to some extent.

1. Frost’s poem-metaphors reflect different characteristics of American life. Some metaphorical poems contain mystic layers which in their turn are connected with religious beliefs of most Americans (according to the statistical data a vast majority of Americans believe in the existence of the supernatural and consider themselves to be representatives of God-fearing people).

In Frost’s poetry a metaphor underscores the profound bond between humanity and nature. This belief is also an important element of American culture since the very first days of the foundation of the country. R. Frost’s extended metaphor also conveys the transcendentalists’ view that God and humanity and nature are interconnected  and form one harmonious entity.