Robert Frost's, 'The Road Not Taken'

Two years back, I recalled of having read a poem entitled 'The Road Not Taken', written by the great Robert Frost. Published in 1916, I find this poem to be very interesting in terms of its content. The poem is more or less about a traveler who chose the second path instead of the first, for it had the better claim. This poem is indeed closely related to decision making. In short, you make a decision and you don't turn back and don't regret. This is because the deed is done and there is no real way to go back in time and alter paths. Once you've made a decision you'll have to stick with it even if you despise it at first. For if you were to turn back for instance lets say that at first you specialize in anatomy and then you find it to be unpleasant and if you wanted to specialize in some other field it will be a waste of time and money for you'll have to start back from scratch. Also, if you were to read line 15 of the third stanza you'll find the speaker saying the following, 'I doubted if I should ever come back.' This line tells us that the speaker is unsure or uncertain whether or not he wanted to alter paths once he has made his decisive call. Probably feeling that it will be somewhat pointless, to turn back after he had familiarized or made himself comfortable with the path he had chosen; Even if given the circumstances that the other path may be of greater benefit if he were to stray to the other side in time to come.

This is basic human nature, for once someone has made themselves comfortable to a certain environment that they're put into, it will be difficult for that someone to adapt to a totally different environment that is completely foreign to the first for most people are less susceptible to change. So this is probably the most reasonable explanation why the speaker said that he doubted if he should ever come back, once he has made his decision. In short, never look back at a finished business, always look forward to an unfinished business. Apart from that, there is this popular saying which is, 'All roads lead to Rome.' So my question is, how does this saying apply to the context of Robert Frost's poem, 'The Road Not Taken'? Well in my perspective, if you apply this saying to the context of the poem, then whichever road the traveler opts to take, it would not make a big difference for he'll end up in the same spot. This is actually a question asked by an individual who has a shallow understanding of the poem. The understanding is such because the individual looks only at the surface of the curtain but not underneath it where true understanding of the poem lies. This invisible opaque curtain is what that separates ironic understanding and literal understanding of the poem.

Hence, based on an ironic understanding of the poem, the popular saying, 'All roads lead to Rome', would definitely make all the decisions that were made by the traveler seem pointless for either way, he'll end up at the same place; this also reflects the actual meaning of the saying. If based on a literal understanding of the poem, then you would see that the popular saying does not really correlate with the exact meaning that the poet is trying to convey through his poem. This is due to the fact that when you choose a specific path in life, it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll end up where you started. Because that one path that you take will definitely lead to another and the chain reaction will keep going on; similar to an endless Polyisoprene structure. Like what John Masefield once said, 'One road leads to London, one road leads to Wales, my road leads me seawards, to the white dipping sails.' Thus, whichever road we take, it is unlikely that we will end up in the same spot again. Also, we should take note that different roads tell different stories. Anyway, if you look at lines 19 and 20, you'll notice the speaker saying that he 'took the one less traveled by', which then succeeds with 'And that has made all the difference.'

This highlights the importance of independence in terms of decision making. If you look at our present day society, you'll notice that such quality(independence) is lacking. This is because, many fear of being deemed as to being the 'odd one' or being left out if the decisions that they make does not abide to the prior. That is why most people comply to following the majority. Well, if you study the poem carefully especially in the last two lines, you will notice that Robert Frost is indirectly encouraging change, which definitely is intended for the better.