'Mending Wall' by Robert Frost
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbour know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
"Stay where you are until our backs are turned!"
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, "Good fences make good neighbours."
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
"Why do they make good neighbours? Isn't it
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down." I could say "Elves" to him,
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, "Good fences make good neighbours."
Editor 1 Interpretation
Mending Wall by Robert Frost: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
I am so excited to write about one of Robert Frost's most famous poems, Mending Wall. This poem has been analyzed and interpreted by scholars for decades, and it never ceases to amaze me how much depth and meaning Frost managed to pack into just 46 lines. In this essay, I will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of Frost's masterpiece, examining its themes, structure, and imagery.
Background and Overview
First published in 1914 as part of Frost's second collection of poems, North of Boston, Mending Wall describes the annual ritual of two neighbors repairing a stone wall that separates their properties. The poem's narrator questions the need for such a wall, wondering why they should "set the wall between us once again." The neighbor, however, insists that "good fences make good neighbors," a phrase that has become one of Frost's most famous lines. The poem ends with the narrator reflecting on the nature of boundaries and the human desire to build them.
Themes
One of the most prominent themes in Mending Wall is the tension between individualism and community. The narrator expresses a desire to "go behind" the wall and explore what lies beyond, suggesting a longing for connection and unity. The neighbor, on the other hand, is more concerned with maintaining his own property and protecting his privacy. This tension is reflected in the repeated refrain, "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," which suggests a conflict between the natural world and human constructs.
Another theme in the poem is the concept of tradition and the role it plays in shaping our lives. The annual mending of the wall is portrayed as a timeless ritual, handed down through generations of farmers. The neighbor seems to take comfort in this tradition, while the narrator questions its necessity. This tension between tradition and progress is a recurring theme in Frost's work, and it is explored here through the lens of property ownership.
Finally, Mending Wall touches on the idea of perception and how it shapes our understanding of the world. The narrator and the neighbor have different perspectives on the wall, with the former questioning its purpose and the latter insisting on its necessity. This difference in perception is highlighted by the poem's use of first-person and third-person narration, with the neighbor speaking in dialogue and the narrator providing commentary. Frost uses this technique to emphasize the subjective nature of reality and the difficulty of achieving true understanding.
Structure and Form
Mending Wall is written in blank verse, a form of poetry characterized by unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter. This form gives the poem a natural, conversational tone that is well-suited to its subject matter. Frost uses enjambment, or the continuation of a sentence or phrase beyond the end of a line, to create a sense of continuity and flow. This technique is particularly effective in the poem's opening lines: "Something there is that doesn't love a wall, / That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, / And spills the upper boulders in the sun."
The poem is divided into 11 stanzas, each containing a varying number of lines. This irregular structure reflects the organic nature of the wall-repairing ritual, which is not bound by strict rules or regulations. The poem's structure also mirrors its themes, with the tension between individualism and community reflected in the contrast between the narrator's solitary voice and the neighbor's repeated refrain.
Imagery
Frost's use of imagery in Mending Wall is rich and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the landscape and the wall itself. The frozen-ground-swell mentioned in the opening lines is a powerful image, suggesting a force of nature that is beyond human control. The "gaps" and "cracks" in the wall are described in detail, emphasizing the impermanence of human constructs and the power of nature to erode them.
The wall itself is personified throughout the poem, becoming a symbol of the human desire to create boundaries and divisions. Frost uses the wall as a metaphor for the barriers we build between ourselves and others, questioning whether these divisions are ultimately beneficial or harmful. The poem's final lines, "Good fences make good neighbors," are a powerful commentary on this question, suggesting that while boundaries may be necessary, they should not become sources of division and conflict.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mending Wall is a timeless masterpiece that explores a range of themes and ideas. Frost's use of structure, form, and imagery creates a powerful and evocative portrait of a ritual that is both mundane and profound. The poem's examination of individualism and community, tradition and progress, and perception and reality make it a work that is relevant to readers of all ages and backgrounds. As Frost himself noted, "Poetry provides the one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning another." In Mending Wall, he uses this power of poetry to explore some of the most fundamental questions of human existence.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Mending Wall: A Poem of Boundaries and Unity
Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" is a classic poem that explores the themes of boundaries, unity, and the human desire for connection. The poem is set in a rural landscape, where two neighbors meet every spring to repair the wall that separates their properties. Through the narrator's observations and reflections, Frost invites us to consider the nature of boundaries and the role they play in our lives.
The poem begins with the famous line, "Something there is that doesn't love a wall." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, suggesting that there is a force in the world that resists the idea of boundaries and separation. The narrator goes on to describe the wall as "just another kind of outdoor game," implying that the act of building and repairing the wall is a ritual that the neighbors engage in for the sake of tradition rather than necessity.
As the neighbors work on the wall, the narrator questions the need for it. He wonders why they need a wall to separate their properties when there are no cows to be contained and no crops to be protected. He suggests that the wall is a symbol of the neighbors' fear and mistrust of each other, and that it serves to reinforce their sense of separation rather than their sense of unity.
Despite these doubts, the narrator continues to help his neighbor repair the wall. He acknowledges that there is something satisfying about the act of mending, and that it brings the neighbors together in a shared task. He notes that the act of repairing the wall is a kind of dance, with each neighbor taking turns to place the stones in the wall and to fill in the gaps.
As the poem progresses, the narrator becomes more reflective, questioning the nature of boundaries and the human desire for separation. He wonders why we feel the need to separate ourselves from each other, and why we build walls to keep others out. He suggests that this desire for separation is rooted in fear and mistrust, and that it ultimately leads to loneliness and isolation.
Despite these doubts, the narrator acknowledges that there is something comforting about the act of repairing the wall. He notes that the wall serves as a reminder of the neighbors' shared history and their shared responsibility for the land. He suggests that the act of repairing the wall is a kind of ritual that connects the neighbors to each other and to the land.
In the final lines of the poem, the narrator reflects on the nature of boundaries and the role they play in our lives. He suggests that while boundaries can be useful, they can also be limiting. He notes that there is something in the human spirit that resists boundaries and seeks to connect with others. He suggests that the act of repairing the wall is a kind of metaphor for the human desire for connection, and that it reminds us of the importance of unity and community.
In conclusion, "Mending Wall" is a classic poem that explores the themes of boundaries, unity, and the human desire for connection. Through the narrator's observations and reflections, Robert Frost invites us to consider the nature of boundaries and the role they play in our lives. While the poem acknowledges the usefulness of boundaries, it also suggests that they can be limiting and that the human spirit resists them. Ultimately, the poem reminds us of the importance of unity and community, and of the power of shared rituals to connect us to each other and to the land.
Editor Recommended Sites
Privacy Ads: Ads with a privacy focus. Limited customer tracking and resolution. GDPR and CCPA compliantRust Guide: Guide to the rust programming language
Jupyter App: Jupyter applications
AI Books - Machine Learning Books & Generative AI Books: The latest machine learning techniques, tips and tricks. Learn machine learning & Learn generative AI
Personal Knowledge Management: Learn to manage your notes, calendar, data with obsidian, roam and freeplane
Recommended Similar Analysis
Women And Roses by Robert Browning analysisyou said Is (XIII) by e.e. cummings analysis
There's been a Death, in the Opposite House by Emily Dickinson analysis
Invictus by William Ernest Henley analysis
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson analysis
The Long Love That in My Thought Doth Harbour by Sir Thomas Wyatt analysis
Lenore by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
A Riddle Song by Walt Whitman analysis
Hidden by Naomi Shihab Nye analysis
who knows if the moon's... (VII) by e.e. cummings analysis