'The Hill Wife' by Robert Frost
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
I. LONELINESS
Her Word
One ought not to have to care
So much as you and I
Care when the birds come round the house
To seem to say good-bye;
Or care so much when they come back
With whatever it is they sing;
The truth being we are as much
Too glad for the one thing
As we are too sad for the other here --
With birds that fill their breasts
But with each other and themselves
And their built or driven nests.
II. HOUSE FEAR
Always -- I tell you this they learned --
Always at night when they returned
To the lonely house from far away
To lamps unlighted and fire gone gray,
They learned to rattle the lock and key
To give whatever might chance to be
Warning and time to be off in flight:
And preferring the out- to the in-door night,
They. learned to leave the house-door wide
Until they had lit the lamp inside.
III. THE SMILE
Her Word
I didn't like the way he went away.
That smile! It never came of being gay.
Still he smiled- did you see him?- I was sure!
Perhaps because we gave him only bread
And the wretch knew from that that we were poor.
Perhaps because he let us give instead
Of seizing from us as he might have seized.
Perhaps he mocked at us for being wed,
Or being very young (and he was pleased
To have a vision of us old and dead).
I wonder how far down the road he's got.
He's watching from the woods as like as not.
IV. THE OFT-REPEATED DREAM
She had no saying dark enough
For the dark pine that kept
Forever trying the window-latch
Of the room where they slept.
The tireless but ineffectual hands
That with every futile pass
Made the great tree seem as a little bird
Before the mystery of glass!
It never had been inside the room,
And only one of the two
Was afraid in an oft-repeated dream
Of what the tree might do.
V. THE IMPULSE
It was too lonely for her there,
And too wild,
And since there were but two of them,
And no child,
And work was little in the house,
She was free,
And followed where he furrowed field,
Or felled tree.
She rested on a log and tossed
The fresh chips,
With a song only to herself
On her lips.
And once she went to break a bough
Of black alder.
She strayed so far she scarcely heard.
When he called her --
And didn't answer -- didn't speak --
Or return.
She stood, and then she ran and hid
In the fern.
He never found her, though he looked
Everywhere,
And he asked at her mother's house
Was she there.
Sudden and swift and light as that
The ties gave,
And he learned of finalities
Besides the grave.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Hill Wife by Robert Frost: A Masterpiece of Ambiguity and Irony
When I first read Robert Frost's "The Hill Wife," I was struck by the poet's skillful use of imagery and symbolism to create a haunting, yet ambiguous portrait of a woman who seems to be both a victim of her circumstances and a powerful force in her own right. As I delved deeper into the poem, however, I found myself confronted with a series of contradictions and paradoxes that left me questioning my initial assumptions about the narrator, the hill wife, and the nature of their relationship.
At its most basic level, "The Hill Wife" tells the story of a woman who lives in a remote cabin on a mountain with her husband, a man who seems to be more interested in hunting and fishing than in his wife's emotional needs. From the very first line of the poem, we are told that the woman feels isolated and alienated from her surroundings:
"The hill wife puts on a dress of speckled green"
The use of the word "puts on" suggests that the dress is a kind of costume, something the woman has to wear in order to fit in with her surroundings rather than something that expresses her own individuality. The fact that the dress is "speckled green" also suggests that the woman is somehow camouflaged or hidden, blending into the landscape in a way that makes her difficult to see or understand.
As the poem progresses, we learn that the woman longs for a more fulfilling life, one in which she can express her own desires and pursue her own goals. At one point, she recounts a dream in which she becomes a bird and flies away from the mountain, only to be pursued by her husband:
"I dream I fly back to the hunter's house alone, Riding the myself of a white bird on the stone. It was the hunter's wife went by, and said, 'Here's the thrush gone, that sang the hills to bed, And stirred the hearts of all, who heard him sing. But tell me, bird, where was the hunter's wing?'"
This passage is rich in symbolism, but its meaning is far from clear. On the one hand, the woman seems to be expressing her desire to break free from her husband's control and assert her own independence. The image of the bird is a classic symbol of freedom and escape, while the hunter's wife's question suggests that the woman's husband is somehow holding her back, preventing her from fully realizing her potential.
On the other hand, however, the woman's dream can also be read as a kind of fantasy, a wish-fulfillment that allows her to escape from her mundane existence and imagine a more exciting and romantic life. The fact that she is pursued by her husband suggests that even in her dreams, she cannot fully escape his influence, and the image of the thrush that "stirred the hearts of all" may be a reminder that the woman herself is not strong enough to make a lasting impact on the world around her.
As the poem reaches its climax, the woman's conflicting desires and emotions come to a head. On the one hand, she longs to be free from her husband's control and to explore the world around her on her own terms. On the other hand, she feels a deep sense of loss and longing for the life she has left behind:
"She turned and sank upon her skirts at that, And her face changed from terrified to dull. He said to gain time, 'What is it you see, Mounting until you see it from afar?' 'I see,' she said, 'as if I were afar, Milkweed down hill, that has a purple star, And ferns that, in a general rustle, sigh On the hillside, if I just overlook.' He said, 'I think the farmer knows himself, Or will when New England's last been laid clear.'"
This passage is particularly rich in irony and ambiguity. On the one hand, the woman's description of the milkweed and ferns suggests that she has a deep connection to the natural world, and that she is able to find beauty and solace even in the midst of her difficult and isolated life. On the other hand, however, the fact that she describes these things as if she were "afar" suggests that she is somehow disconnected from her surroundings, unable to fully engage with the world around her.
The hunter's response is equally ambiguous. On the one hand, he seems to be trying to comfort or distract the woman, asking her to focus on something concrete and tangible rather than on her own inner turmoil. On the other hand, however, his focus on the "farmer" and the idea of "New England's last" being "laid clear" suggests that he is more interested in exploiting the land for his own purposes than in preserving it for future generations.
In the end, "The Hill Wife" is a poem that resists easy interpretation. On the one hand, it can be read as a powerful indictment of the patriarchal social structures that have historically kept women like the hill wife trapped in isolated and oppressive circumstances. On the other hand, however, it can also be read as a complex and nuanced exploration of the contradictions and paradoxes that lie at the heart of human relationships, and of the ways in which we are all shaped and influenced by the world around us.
Ultimately, what makes "The Hill Wife" such a powerful and enduring work of literature is its ability to capture the complexity and ambiguity of human experience. Like the hill wife herself, the poem is both beautiful and haunting, full of contradictions and ironies that leave us questioning our assumptions and challenging our beliefs. Whether we read it as a feminist manifesto or as a subtle exploration of human psychology, one thing is clear: "The Hill Wife" is a masterpiece of modern poetry, and a testament to the enduring power of Robert Frost's unique and visionary voice.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Hill Wife: A Masterpiece of Robert Frost
Robert Frost is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for his ability to capture the essence of rural life in his poetry. One of his most famous works, The Hill Wife, is a masterpiece that explores the themes of isolation, nature, and the human condition. In this article, we will delve into the poem's meaning, structure, and literary devices to understand why it has stood the test of time.
The Hill Wife is a narrative poem that tells the story of a man who marries a woman from the hills. The poem is divided into three parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the couple's relationship. In the first part, the man describes his wife's beauty and her connection to nature. He speaks of her as a wild creature, untamed by civilization, and in tune with the rhythms of the natural world. The second part of the poem shifts focus to the man's own experience of living in the hills. He describes the isolation and loneliness he feels, cut off from the rest of society. In the final part of the poem, the man reflects on his relationship with his wife and the ways in which they are both trapped by their circumstances.
The structure of the poem is simple, with each part consisting of four stanzas of four lines each. The rhyme scheme is also consistent throughout the poem, with the first and third lines of each stanza rhyming with each other, and the second and fourth lines rhyming with each other. This creates a sense of unity and coherence, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the couple's lives.
One of the most striking literary devices used in The Hill Wife is personification. Frost personifies nature throughout the poem, describing the hills as "friendly" and the wind as "talking." This gives the natural world a sense of agency and personality, emphasizing its importance in the lives of the characters. The use of personification also creates a sense of intimacy between the characters and their environment, highlighting the deep connection they feel to the natural world.
Another important literary device used in the poem is imagery. Frost's descriptions of the hills, the wind, and the natural world are vivid and evocative, painting a picture of a rugged and beautiful landscape. The imagery also serves to underscore the themes of isolation and loneliness, as the characters are depicted as being cut off from the rest of society and forced to rely on each other for companionship.
The Hill Wife is also notable for its use of symbolism. The hills themselves are a powerful symbol in the poem, representing both the beauty and the harshness of nature. The hills are described as "friendly," but also as "cold" and "hard." This duality reflects the complex relationship between the characters and their environment, highlighting the ways in which they are both sustained and challenged by the natural world.
The poem's title, The Hill Wife, is also significant. The term "hill wife" suggests a woman who is isolated and cut off from society, living a life that is both rugged and beautiful. This title emphasizes the central role that the woman plays in the poem, highlighting her connection to the natural world and her importance to the man's life.
In conclusion, The Hill Wife is a masterpiece of Robert Frost's poetry, exploring the themes of isolation, nature, and the human condition. The poem's structure, literary devices, and symbolism all work together to create a powerful and evocative portrait of life in the hills. Frost's ability to capture the essence of rural life in his poetry has made him one of the most beloved poets of the 20th century, and The Hill Wife is a shining example of his talent and skill.
Editor Recommended Sites
Graph DB: Graph databases reviews, guides and best practice articlesML Ethics: Machine learning ethics: Guides on managing ML model bias, explanability for medical and insurance use cases, dangers of ML model bias in gender, orientation and dismorphia terms
ML Privacy:
Labaled Machine Learning Data: Pre-labeled machine learning data resources for Machine Learning engineers and generative models
WebGPU Guide: Learn WebGPU from tutorials, courses and best practice
Recommended Similar Analysis
Love's Deity by John Donne analysisThe Coronet by Andrew Marvell analysis
The Female of the Species by Rudyard Kipling analysis
When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats analysis
who knows if the moon's... (VII) by e.e. cummings analysis
The Stolen Child by William Butler Yeats analysis
To -- -- by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
The Marchioness of Stonehenge by Thomas Hardy analysis
Ninon De Lenclos, On Her Last Birthday by Dorothy Parker analysis
A Martian Sends A Postcard Home by Craig Raine analysis