Student Question
In "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," what could the "lovely, dark and deep woods" represent?
Quick answer:
In "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," the "lovely, dark and deep woods" can symbolize the allure and mystery of nature, offering a serene escape from responsibilities. While the speaker is captivated by the woods' beauty, he acknowledges his obligations with "promises to keep," suggesting a tension between the desire to linger and the necessity to fulfill duties. This duality may also metaphorically represent life's journey and the inevitability of death.
Since we're talking about poetry, the easy answer is of course it could. Of course, because it's poetry it might not.
A more literal reading is that our narrator is simply appreciating the beauty of the world around him on this, "the darkest evening of the year." On this journey he is observing his surroundings, and the woods are simply an integral part of what he sees. He draws us in to this winter scene and we are not in the least surprised by this description.
A more figurative reading is that the woods represent the narrator's intent to ride into the woods, never to come back. If so, the death must be considered suicide rather than the natural ending of a life. Finding certainty about this intent is probably not possible.
Because Frost is generally a symbolic writer, it's not surprising to have this kind of debate surrounding his work...
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and specifically around phrases like this. Part of the beauty of poetry is the opportunity for readers to explore and interpret--within reason--the language andimagery of the work.
Why does the speaker find the woods dark, deep, and lovely in the poem "Stopping by Woods"?
In "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," the speaker describes the way in which the "woods fill up with snow" (line 4). There is nothing around him, no "farmhouse near" (6), and it is very, very dark because the poem is set on the "darkest evening of the year" (8). All is quiet around him with only the sound of an "easy wind" gently blowing the "downy flake[s]" in the air (12). The speaker is arrested in his progress through the woods because the scene around him is so incredibly beautiful.
When the speaker describes the woods as "lovely, dark and deep," it seems to be in recognition of all of these things (13). It sounds like such a serenely peaceful moment, a moment when he simply pauses and takes in all the natural beauty of his surroundings. Further, the next line helps to illuminate why he has been so struck by the woods tonight: he has "promises to keep" (14). In other words, he has obligations to fulfill, things that he must do, and places that he must go. The business of the "village," perhaps, or just of normal, daily life, is juxtaposed with the tranquility of the forest, and the woods seem that much more deep and lovely as a result of this contrast. Moreover, he has "miles to go before [he] sleep[s]," an awareness of how much more he has yet to accomplish, and that makes the woods seem so very inviting as well (16). He seems to wish that he could just stay there, where it is "lovely" and "dark" and he has nothing to consider but the night, but he cannot.
In the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," what does "lovely, dark and deep" suggest?
At first glance, Frost’s poem is simple. It’s about a man going through the snowy woods and taking a moment to pause and look around. When his horse jingles his little bells, the speaker realizes he needs to move along because he still has miles yet to go. However, a closer reading suggests that there is something more happening.
There have been several interpretations of this poem, and the key seems to be in the final stanza:
“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 phrase describing the woods as “lovely, dark and deep” suggests a mystery the speaker associates with the woods. The speaker does not see the woods as threatening, but by describing them as dark, there does seem to be something inexplicable about the woods. When this description of the woods is read along with the final couplet, it suggests a more serious purpose.
Some critics have written that the poem addresses the speaker’s sense of responsibility. He must stop looking at the woods and head home because he has miles to go and he has responsibilities to tend to upon his return. Another interpretation is that the speaker needs to continue moving along his journey of life before he dies (sleep referring to the final sleep or death).
Therefore, the phrase “lovely, dark, and deep” suggests that the speaker has more serious things to address, although the woods are bewitching and make him want to linger. This reflects other aspects of his life that distract him from his responsibilities or keep him from his fate.