THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

BY
ROBERT FROST
Summary
The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost (Bio Poems) is quite a popular poem;
unfortunately, however, its popularity comes mainly from the simple act of
misreading. With this poem, Frost has given the world a piece of writing that
every individual can relate to, especially when it comes to the concept of choices
and opportunities in life.
A majority of the time, this poem is quoted and used with an interpretation that is
not exactly “correct”. The popular belief is that Frost meant for this poem to be
about hope, success, and defying the odds by choosing a path well, “less travelled
by.” On the other hand, if the poem is reviewed, it is quite obvious that it has
fairly the opposite connotation.
It is Robert Frost’s first poem in his book “Mountain Interval” (1916). A popular,
pleasantly misconstrued poem since its release, its simplicity and way with words
demonstrate the skill of Frost’s pen.

‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost (Bio Poems) describes how the speaker
struggles to choose between two roads diverging in the yellowish woods on an
autumn morning.
In the poem, the individual arrives at a critical juncture in his life, arriving at
crossroads at last near “a yellow wood.” As per him, the paths are equally well-
traversed and yield anonymous outcomes. The individual comforts with a thought
about returning, be if his path is unsuitable for him, yet in hindsight, he’s aware
of the futility of such thought. Since his current path will bring upon separate
paths in itself, disallowing any consequent reversal. The individual concludes on
a melancholic note of how different circumstances and outcomes would have
been, had it been the “other” path.
Analysis
Despite acknowledging the two paths' equality or interchangeability, the speaker
anticipates future retellings where they claim to have taken the less travelled path.
The discrepancy between the speaker's initial observation and their anticipated
future narrative underscores the human tendency to reinterpret past events to align
with one's desired narrative, hinting at the psychological phenomenon of
memory distortion wherein memories undergo reconstruction during recall, often
to fit desired identities and self-perceptions of who individuals are. Frost's
speaker's projection of a future narrative exemplifies this phenomenon, revealing
the intricate interplay between memory, identity, imagination, and narrative
construction in shaping one's perception of reality, developing a dynamic
of subjective and objective reality. The poem shows that our choices might shape
our lives, but our perception of those choices shapes our reality regardless of
objective truth. Most importantly, the speaker prognosticates his future
recollection of the event, acknowledging the forthcoming retelling of this
moment. This self-awareness, juxtaposed with recognizing the identical nature of
the two diverging paths, further accentuates the intricate workings of memory
distortion while hinting at the power of fate or predetermined paths, echoing
determinism philosophy and the dilemma of choice and freedom, raising
questions about the extent to which humans truly possess agency.
Meaning
Robert Frost’s poetic masterpiece is arguably the most infamously misunderstood
poem as of yet. Marrying elements of form and content, arresting artistic
phraseology and metaphors, the poem is mostly read without being understood.
The archetypal conundrum is the primary attraction of the poem, readers instantly
relate to their personal experiences.
Forks and woods are used as metaphorical devices relating to decisions and
crises. Similar forks are representative of everlasting struggle against fate and free
will. Since humans are free to select as per their will, their fate is unknown to
them.
‘The Road Not Taken’ actually steers clear of advising on selecting a definitive
path. Frost’s take on this is slightly complicated. The grassy roads and yellow
woods represent the present as the individual views from a future perspective.
This self-realization is pathetic and ironic in itself. The future self will regret first
his decision about taking the road less travelled on. In hindsight, his regret is
everlasting in this case point.
Detailed Analysis
Stanza One
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
‘A Road Not Taken’ opens with strong imagery, because of the diction used to
depict two physical roads separating from each other in “a yellow wood.” It is
observably a forest that is showcasing the colours of autumn.
Line two is hasty to display the theme of regret, by revealing that the individual
is “sorry” before he even decides which road to take. We basically find ourselves
observing a very important moment, where he has to make a decision that is
evidently difficult for him.
Lines three through five, express that the individual is trying to see as far as he
can down each road, to help him decide which one he should choose to take.
Let’s thoroughly analyze the lines and their meaning below.

Lines 1–2
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
The first two lines of this stanza introduce the dilemma that every human faces,
not once, but multiple times in his or her life; the dilemma of choice. We as people
go through many circumstances and experiences in our lives, and one of them is
choosing between two (or more) paths.
This is experienced literally: in the roads we take and the routes we walk daily,
and figuratively: when we come to points in our lives where we must make
decisions for our next steps, based on the opportunities presented to us. And like
the character in ‘The Road Not Taken,’ oftentimes, we are disappointed that we
cannot hold on to, and experience the consequences of every opportunity that is
presented to us. In order to gain some things in life, we must let others go.

Lines 3–5
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
By having the character in the poem examine the roads ahead of him, Frost
is emphasizing that we all try our best to guess what lays ahead for us in every
opportunity that we are presented in an attempt to find some control and later
comfort over our final decisions. We like to take our time in order to make
informed decisions so we can justify our choices when the regret of missing out
on the other “roads” starts to haunt us.
Stanza Two
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
In this second stanza, lines six through eight: the individual in ‘The Road Not
Taken’ finally makes a decision and chooses a road that he thinks and believes is
better, because it looked like not many people had walked on it before.
However, in lines nine and ten, he is quick to add that the other road looked
equally used in comparison to the one he chose, so it really was not as less
travelled as he was telling himself.
Lines 6–7
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
These lines are important because they clarify the common misunderstanding that
one road was less travelled than the other since the character clearly states that
both roads were “really about the same.” The diction in this stanza portrays the
uncertainty of the character as he tries to justify to himself that his decision is the
right one for him; and much like anyone else, he is trying to realistically weigh
the outcomes of both roads.
Lines 8–10
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
The important idea to note in these lines is that the character claimed the road he
chose was better because it “wanted wear” meaning that it was tempting him. He
felt that the road he chose “wanted” to be walked on by him. This underlines the
nature of people in general, that we will always choose the path which seems
attractive and is of interest to us, even if both paths have the equal potential of
getting us to wherever it is we are headed.
That said the word “want” has historically been used to represent a lack of
something. For example “the house was in want of repair” so perhaps the
suggestion here is that the path is overgrown because it is less travelled.
Either way no matter where we end up, and how informed, tempting, and
satisfying our choices are, we will always wonder about the “what ifs” and
the “could have been” of the other opportunities that we left behind.

Stanza Three
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
In the third stanza, Robert Frost (Bio Poems) mentions in lines eleven and twelve
that at the moment that this individual was making his decision, both paths were
nearly identical. No one had stepped through to disturb the leaves on both roads.
Line thirteen is an important point in ‘The Road Not Taken’ as this is when the
individual finalizes his decision of leaving the other road, for perhaps another
time.
Lines fourteen and fifteen give us a glimpse of his doubts. He honestly confesses
to himself that it’s highly unlikely he will come back to travel this other road
because he knows as he moves forward he will continue to find other paths taking
him further and further away from this point, where he is standing at the moment.

Lines 11–12
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
The lines show us that this character is truly being honest with himself, as he
makes the crucial decision of which road to take. His honesty is a reality check
as well as a means of making a final decision. He notices that both choices lay
equally in front of him and none of these choices have been “trodden black”.
Sometimes in life, when we reach a fork, we are able to make quick decisions
based on what we learned from other people’s experiences. These experiences
then leave marks in the choices that we have, these marks then form
our bias towards or against that path. When we encounter choices in our lives
where we find that the leaves are not “trodden black” by what we learned from
the people around us, it becomes harder to decide between them, just like the
situation of the character in ‘The Road Not Taken’.
Lines 13–15
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
After making his decision, he exclaims that he will leave the first choice for
another day. Then he honestly tells himself that if he lets this road go now, there
is no coming back. There are many defining decisions in our life that shape our
future and sometimes when we select an option in these moments, they change
the course of our life and there’s no turning back. That is where the regret of not
exploring our other options disturbs us.
Stanza Four
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
In this last stanza, lines sixteen and seventeen, the individual predicts that one
day far into the future, he knows will tell the story of this decision that he is now
making.
Lines eighteen and nineteen expose that he intends to lie and claim he took the
less-travelled road. In reality, both were equally travelled.
Finally, the last line expresses that the individual is also planning to claim that his
choice to take this less travelled road made all the difference, in where he will be
standing at the time.
Lines 16–17
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
These lines of the last stanza highlight the nature of our regrets. When it comes
to tough decisions in our lives, we always know that no matter what we finally
choose, eventually, we will regret not being able to try the possibility that was left
uncharted by us.
In this stanza, the character is already imagining the regret he will feel and decides
that he will not be honest when he retells the story of his decision, as it will not
validate his selection of the road if he showcases his regret by stating that an equal
opportunity could have landed him elsewhere in life.
Lines 18–20
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
He decides he will tell people he chose the road that was “less travelled by” to
come across as a person who took a chance and succeeded in life. In reality, the
character is trying to convince himself that when he shares his life experiences
and distorts the truth, it will seem that taking this road “made all the difference”.
This teaches readers that they never know where life will take them, so
preplanning what the end of the road looks like for themselves, and building
regret is silly especially if they haven’t even started the journey in the first
place. Life is about the paths you do choose to walk through, not about “the road
not taken.”
Structure
Robert Frost (Bio Poems) has used an interesting style in ‘The Road Not Taken’.
He works within the form, but at times, the form works within his style. Using
variation and his brand of words, Robert Frost’s poems followed a unique
composition. At times, he created forms to suit his poetry.
He has a general tendency to work within and without boundaries, carving
memorable, identifiable, and idiosyncratic poetry. In his early years, he perfected
the art of “sound of sense”, bringing raw sensory perception to a human mind.
The sound of words forms imagery due to the form of words and sound of sense.
Robert Frost (Bio Poems) has penned the poem in the first-person point of view.
So, it’s a lyric poem. It comprises five verses encapsulated in four stanzas. So,
there are a total of 20 lines in the text. Let’s have a look at the rhyme
scheme and meter of this piece.
Rhyme Scheme
This poem follows a set rhyme scheme. In each quintain, the rhyming convention
employed is ABAAB. It means that there are two sets of rhymes. The sound with
which the first line ends occurs again in the third and fourth lines. While the
second and last lines rhyme together.
For example, let’s have a look at the rhyme scheme of the first stanza.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
In the first line, “wood” rhymes with the words, “stood” and “could” present in
the third and fourth lines. The second line ends with “both”. For rhyming, the
poet chooses the word “undergrowth” in the last line. The same scheme is
followed throughout the poem. There are no such exceptions.
Meter
Each line of this piece consists of nine syllables. Some lines contain a syllable
more or less than the average syllable count. While reading the text, the stress
generally falls on the second syllable of each foot. So, the overall poem is
composed of iambic tetrameter. It means there are a total of four iambs in every
line. However, there are a few metrical variations as well.
Let’s take the first stanza and scan it metrically.
Two roads/ di-verged/ in a yel-/low wood,
And sor-/ry I/ could not tra-/vel both
And be/ one tra-/ve-ler, long/ I stood
And looked/ down one/ as far/ as I could
To where/ it bent/ in the un-/der-growth;
From the scansion of the first stanza, it is clear that Frost also uses a
few anapests here and there throughout the poem. There are a total of four feet in
each line. As the majority of the feet are composed of iambs, the dominant meter
of this piece is the iambic tetrameter.
Literary Devices
Frost uses several literary devices in ‘The Road Not Taken’. To begin with, he
uses anaphora in the second, third, and fourth lines of the first stanza. Another
important device of this piece is enjambment. It can be seen in the third and
fourth lines. Using this device, he maintains the flow in between the lines as well
as connects them internally.
Readers can find the use of metonymy in the phrase, “a yellow wood”. It refers
to the season, autumn, and its effect on nature. There is a symbol in the usage of
the word, “undergrowth”. It stands for the undiscovered regions of the future.
In the second stanza, readers can find the use of irony in this line, “And having
perhaps the better claim.” This device is explained further below. Apart from that,
Frost uses alliteration in the phrase, “wanted wear”.
The third stanza presents an inversion or hyperbaton in this line, “In leaves no
step had trodden black.” The line also contains a synecdoche. In the following
line, readers can find a rhetorical exclamation.
In the last stanza, the poet uses repetition for emphasizing a particular idea. For
example, the phrase, “ages and ages” emphasizes the continuity of life’s journey.
While the repetition of the word, “I” in the end and beginning of the third and
fourth lines are meant for the sake of highlighting the speaker’s hesitation. Such
repetition is also known as anadiplosis. Lastly, the poem ends with a paradox.

Metaphor
Frost uses several metaphors in this poem to bring home his innovative ideas. For
example, the title of the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’ contains a metaphor. In it,
the “road” is a metaphor for the choice we make.
Moving on to the text, there is another metaphor in the “yellow wood”. In this
phrase, the poet implicitly compares the idea of change to the yellowish wood.
He compares the speaker of this piece to a traveller who is struck while choosing
the best option to carry on his journey.
Likewise, readers can find another metaphor in the last stanza. Here, the road
“less travelled by” is a metaphor for the choices less preferred by humans. It refers
to unconventional things that pragmatic society doesn’t follow at all. However,
some people choose such unconventional options. So, in the speaker’s case, he
has not opted for the rarest choice.
Irony
The ironic undertone is inexorable. As he writes,
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
The individual anticipates insincerity in his future, looking in retrospect later on.
He’s aware that he will be far from correct and even hypocritical at times, looking
at his life.
Furthermore, he is fully aware that his future self will ultimately deny his past
self’s decision, asserting it strongly. In essence, there’s no definitive true path
here. As a result, what lies on the other path may trouble an individual with
remnant feelings of guilt afterward.
With ironic undertones throughout, the poem contains hints of remorse due to
choosing a path without much knowledge about either. Along the way, the
individual wonders about the other path and what’s irrevocably lost in deselecting
it.

Imagery
The use of imagery, in this piece, makes it an interesting read. It helps readers to
imagine the plot of this poem. There is no unnecessary information in the text.
Frost begins directly with the primary image of the poem that is of the “two roads
diverged in a yellow wood.” By using this visual imagery filled with the colour
of autumn, the poet depicts the place where his speaker is struggling to make a
decision.
He further describes that the roads bent in the undergrowth. It means that the
speaker cannot see what is there ahead of the road. In this way, Frost paints a
beautiful picture of two long roads going in two different directions in the woods.
Readers can find more secondary details, integral to the main image, in the
following stanzas. According to the speaker, the roads more or less look the same.
Grasses cover them and one of them is less travelled than the other. Besides, some
pale leaves are lying on the road. On one road, he can see trodden, black leaves.
While he cannot see such leaves on the other road.
Providing this description, Frost tries to depict two ideas through these images.
The first idea is of the choice that one can make easily by learning from the
experience of others. Secondly, the image of the less trodden road depicts a way
that can be less travelled, but it is less discovered by others.

Tone and Mood

To understand the tone and mood of this poem, readers have to look for the words
that have emotions associated with them. One such word appears at the very
beginning of the second line. The speaker says, “sorry” for not being able to travel
on both roads. How does this particular word influence the poem’s tone and
mood?
First of all, it tells readers that the speaker is not confident enough to make a
decision. Therefore, he feels sorry for himself. It reflects his mental state as well
as the poem’s mood that is a little bit drifting towards the lethargic state of mind.
Besides, the tone is emotive but not direct as it lacks confidence.
Another phrase, “long I stood” prolongs the mood of indecisiveness and
confusion. The tone follows the mood and it changes into an introspective one.
In the following stanza, the word “perhaps” in the second line depicts the tone of
dilemma. The confused mood of the speaker also confuses the readers. Moving
on to the following stanzas, the individual becomes comparably confident yet his
tone reflects a sense of grief as he thinks the other road might be better than the
one, he is about to walk on.
Symbolism
The infamous poem is rich with simplistic literal symbolism. Frost sets up a
fictional stage for an individual upon which he sets the direction of his life with
irreparable consequences. It’s a metaphor for people juggling with lifelong
decisions. Seemingly an obvious poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’ has been
subjective, catering to multiple interpretations. According to Robert Frost
(Bio Poems) himself:
You have to be careful of that one; it’s a tricky poem—very tricky.
In this piece, readers have to be aware of the use of symbols. The first dilemma
that comes across while reading the text is about the actual symbolic significance
of the two roads. These roads do not refer to two different paths. Rather Frost
points at two superficially identical roads symbolizing the choices a person has
to make. He can only choose any one of them as it is literally impossible to be
“one traveller” on both roads. Besides, readers can find another symbol in “a
yellow wood”. It refers to the idea of change.
Themes
The thematic idea of ‘The Road Not Taken’ intrinsically lies in “carpe diem”,
judging by its nuance. In conventional carpe diem poems, readers can find that
the speaker is urging one to seize the moment and live in the present. Likewise,
in this poem, the poet presents a person who is not sure about what to do. He
thinks about the future so he cannot make a decision based on the present
scenario.
This piece also taps on several other themes such as choice, uncertainty,
indecision, fate, and over-thinking. The main theme of this piece is choice and
uncertainty. In this poem, the speaker has to make a choice and he is uncertain
about the best one. He thinks what he will choose cannot be suitable for him.
The next theme that can be found is indecision. Readers can find this theme in
the lines such as, “Then look at the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the
better claim.” Right after these lines, the speaker says both of them are “really
about the same.” That’s why he struggles with indecision.
It also seems that the speaker is a fatalist. He relies on it more than the present
moment. This mindset creates more confusion in his life. Last but not least is
overthinking. This theme is present throughout this piece. Here, the narrator has
to make a simple decision. But he thinks more than what is necessary. It leads to
all the confusion not only in his case but also in the case of readers.

Historical Context
Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ depicts the poet or individual looking in
retrospect and contemplating upon past decisions. As per a biographical account
by Lawrence Thompson, “Robert Frost: The Years of Triumph”, the poem was
based on his Welsh pal named Edward Thomas. According to him, his friend was
always regretful of his decision, irrespective of the road taken.
Considering himself as a regional poet, New England has been used as a recurring
location in Robert Frost’s poems. He moved to New Hampshire in his early teens.
As a result, the rich culture, vivid imagery, history, and landscape are reflected in
his published work. Elements such as orchards, forests, fields, and small towns
are observed commonly. His narrators are often close to nature, wandering in
woods (Read ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’), in snowstorms, and
picking apples (Refer to ‘After Apple-Picking’).

EXTRACT-BASED QUESTIONS
A. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
Q1. What will the narrator say “with a sigh”?
A) The narrator will tell people about his decision to take the road and how it
proved to be wrong.
B) The narrator will tell the people about the fork he had come to in the woods
and the choice he had to make, which made all the difference to his life.
C) The narrator will tell you that choosing the path that he did make no
difference to his life.
D) He will tell you that he took the things that most people liked to take.
Ans. B) The narrator will tell the people about the fork he had come to in the
woods and the choice he had to make, which made all the difference to his life.
Q2. What is the theme of the poem?
A) The theme of the poem is that we have to make choices in life, which prove
to be final.
B) The theme of the poem is that the choices we have to make in life can be
undone later in life.
C) The theme of the poem is that we can avoid making choices in life.
D) The theme of the poem is that the choices we make in life make no
difference to us in later life.
Ans. A) The theme of the poem is that we have to make choices in life, which
prove to be final.
Q3. Which poetic device has been used in the poem to express the dilemma
of making a choice?
A) The metaphor of diverging roads
B) A simile of diverging roads
C) A hyperbole of diverging roads
D) An alliteration of diverging roads
Ans. A) The metaphor of diverging roads
Q4. What is the tone of the poet in the stanza?
A) A reflective tone
B) A tone of sadness
C) A tone of regret
D) A tone of cheerfulness
Ans. A) A reflective tone

B. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
“And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.”
Q1. Why did the poet leave the first road?
A) He left the first road as others too had done so.
B) The first road did not seem attractive to the poet.
C) He was in a hurry.
D) He left the first road in the hope that he would travel on it on another day.
Ans. D) He left the first road in the hope that he would travel on it on another
day.
Q2. What does ‘both’ refer to?
A) The word ‘both’ refers to the grass and the leaves on the roads.
B) ‘Both’ refers to the two roads that lay in front of the poet.
C) ‘Both’ refers to the morning and the evening.
D) ‘Both’ refers to no particular things.
Ans. B) ‘Both’ refers to the two roads that lay in front of the poet.
Q3. Why would the poet like to come back?
A) He would like to come back to tell his friends about his experiences.
B) He would like to correct his mistake in choosing the wrong road.
C) He would like to come back to take a rest.
D) He would like to travel by the first road and, so would like to come back.
Ans. D) He would like to travel by the first road and, so would like to come
back.
Q4. The expression ‘leaves no step had trodden black’ means:
A) That the leaves had not turned black though many people had walked on
them.
B) Being yellow, the leaves had not been turned black by the steps of the people
walking on them.
C) No traveller had walked on either of the two roads. The fallen leaves were,
therefore, in their usual colour.
D) No steps of travellers could turn them black.
Ans. C) No traveller had walked on either of the two roads. The fallen leaves
were, therefore, in their usual colour.
C. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;”
Q1. Why does the poet feel sorry?
A) The two roads had diverged.
B) He could not travel on both the roads.
C) He felt lonely.
D) He had to stand there for too long.
Ans. B) He could not travel on both the roads.
Q2. Why could he not travel both the roads?
A) He was afraid of doing such a thing.
B) The two roads were diverging and he could choose only one.
C) Being one traveller, he could not do so.
D) He wanted to enjoy the scene.
Ans. C) Being one traveller, he could not do so.
Q3. What is the mood of the poet in these lines?
A) Happy
B) Serious and pensive
C) Indifferent
D) Angry
Ans. B) Serious and pensive
Q4. What choice does the narrator have to make?
A) The narrator has to choose between the two roads.
B) He has to choose between going farther or going back.
C) He has to choose between standing and getting going.
D) None of the above.
Ans. A) The narrator has to choose between the two roads.
D. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“Then took the other, just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.”
Q1. How was the other road?
A) It was as fair as the first one, but more grassy and less used.
B) It was as grassy as the first one.
C) It was equally used as the first one.
D) It also diverged at one point.
Ans. A) It was as fair as the first one, but more grassy and less used.
Q2. The second road presented a better claim than the first because :
A) It has been used by many travellers.
B) It was still grassy and had not been used by many travellers.
C) It was more beautiful than the first one.
D) It had less bends in it.
Ans. B) It was still grassy and had not been used by many travellers.
Q3. The rhyme scheme of the given lines is :
A) abaab
B) aabb
C) abab
D) abba
Ans. A) abaab
Q4. In what sense were the two roads similar :
A) Both the roads were equally grassy and worn out.
B) Both the roads were appealing to the poet.
C) Both the roads led to the same destination.
D) Both the roads were unattractive.
Ans. B) Both the roads were appealing to the poet.

Q1. Who is the poet of this poem?

A) James
B) William James
C) William Wordsworth
D) Robert Frost
Ans. D) Robert Frost
Q2. What does the poem speak about?
A) about the plight of roads
B) about the people
C) about two roads
D) about the choices made by people
Ans. D) about the choices made by people
Q3. What does the road signify in the poem?
A) the path or choice that was left or was not chosen to tread
B) The pathway
C) pathway on the roadside
D) a road with two turns
Ans. D) a road with two turns
Q4. Which thing decides a person’s future according to this poem?
A) the path one chooses to walk
B) the path one leaves behind
C) the regrets
D) the success
Ans. A) the path one chooses to walk
Q5. What is the message of this poem?
A) be wise while choosing and taking decisions
B) two roads are confusing
C) road is nothing but a pathway
D) all
Ans. A) be wise while choosing and taking decisions
Q6. Why is the poet asking to be wise while choosing a pathway?
A) because there is no Going Back option
B) Because it is the only one road
C) because it is one sided road
D) None of the above
Ans. A) because there is no Going Back option
Q7. What does diverge mean?
A) to be separated and taking a different turn
B) to be torn
C) to break
D) all of the above
Ans. A) to be separated and taking a different turn
Q8. Why was the poet able to travel one road only?
A) because he had to walk alone
B) because he had no vehicle
C) because he was one person
D) all of the above
Ans. C) because he was one person
Q9. What does Yellow Woods mean?
A) falling leaves
B) forest with yellow leaves in the autumn season
C) wood yellow in colour
D) none of the above
Ans. B) forest with yellow leaves in the autumn season
Q10. What do yellow woods represent?
A) people
B) older people
C) poets
D) choice
Ans. B) older people
Q11. Why was the poet looking at the path?
A) to decide whether it was suitable for him
B) to see how long it was
C) to check the road
D) none of the above
Ans. A) to decide whether it was suitable for him
Q12. What does the Poet’s long stare at the path signify?
A) the time taken by people to decide and making a choice
B) poet loves nature
C) idling away of time
D) relaxation hours
Ans. A) the time taken by people to decide and making a choice
Q13. What does grassy mean in the poem?
A) the road which is not used by anyone
B) the comfortable road
C) the road with all the luxuries
D) well-built road
Ans. A) the road which is not used by anyone
Q14. Where does the poet find himself?
A) on the road
B) on a bus
C) on a muddy road
D) on a fork
Ans. D) on a fork
Q15. What shows that the road has not been used by many people?
A) the green and untrampled grass on it
B) the mud on it
C) the broken stones on it
D) All of the above
Ans. A) the green and untrampled grass on it
Q16. What does the choice of road signify?
A) too many things
B) two paths
C) toughness of a choice and decision in life
D) none of the above
Ans. C) toughness of a choice and decision in life

Q17. Why did the poet choose the second road?

A) because it was well built
B) because it was dirty and muddy
C) because it was not used by many people and was appealing to the poet
D) all of the above
Ans. C) because it was not used by many people and was appealing to the poet
Q18. What does the poet’s decision of taking a less travelled road signify?
A) poet’s risk taking habit
B) arrogance of the poet
C) poet’s curiosity
D) poet’s negligence
Ans. A) poet’s risk taking habit
Q19. What do the words ‘Long I stood’ mean in the poem?
A) poet’s dilemma
B) poet was in relaxing mood
C) poet was enjoying the nature
D) poet was thinking
Ans. A) poet’s dilemma
Q20. What is the dilemma of the poet?
A) whether he will be able to come back to the second road or not
B) whether he will get time for himself
C) whether he will be successful
D) whether he will be able to walk
Ans. A) whether he will be able to come back to the second road or not

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. What is wood? What did the narrator see in the woods? Were
the paths similar?

Answer

Wood means a forest. He saw two paths diverging and disappearing in the
undergrowth. No, one had more grass and seemed less used than the other.

Question 2. What did the narrator hope that he would do one day? Was he
sure of doing so?

Answer

The narrator hoped to come back and try the other path someday. No, he did not
think he would do so because he knew that one path would lead to another and it
would be difficult for him to come back.

Question 3. What does the poet mean by ‘yellow wood’?

Answer

‘Yellow wood’ refers to the jungle with decomposing leaves shed from the trees.
It stands for a world where people have been living since long.

Question 4. Explain: ‘leaves no step had trodden black’.

Answer

No traveller had trodden on either of the two roads. It was evident from the fact
that the fallen and sodden leaves lay uncrushed there. No feet had trampled them.

Question 5. Which road does Robert Frost choose and why?

Answer

Robert Frost chooses the second road less travelled by the travellers. He chose
the second road because it was more inviting and wanted to wear’.

Question 6. What season do you think this poem takes place in? Why?

Answer

The speaker tells us the woods are yellow, so we can infer that it’s autumn. The
leaves have freshly fallen covering both paths – the one that is much travelled and
worn and the road less taken and grassy.

Question 7. Why did the poet leave the first path?

Answer
The poet left the first path because it was well-trodden. Many people had walked
on that path. He wanted the excitement and adventure of choosing to walk a path
that was not frequented by too many people. It would offer him challenges to
face.

Question 8. What does the divergence in the road signify in real life?

Answer

The divergence in the road signifies that many times in real life we have difficult
choices to make. We take a long time thinking about which of the two would be
a better option and only time can tell whether we were right in making the choice
we made. The forking of one road into two is symbolic of the confusion or
dilemma we face in life while confronting a problem and making a decision.

Question 9. Discuss the imagery in the poem.

Answer

A very important, element in this poem is its use of natural imagery. The poem is
about someone alone in the woods, on an autumn morning. The season is autumn,
when the trees are beginning to shed their yellowing leaves, which cover the
ground.

Question 10. Does the poet believe that he would ever return to the first
road?

Answer

No, the poet does not believe that he would ever be able to return to the first road.
He is fully aware that one road leads on to another and that still to another. Hence
it will not be possible for him to come back to the point where both the roads
bifurcate.
Question 11. What is the theme of the poem The Road Not Taken?

Answer

The poet suggests that we may face dilemmas in life, but one should be ready for
challenges. We must take risks and take the more difficult path. Walking on a
path not many have taken is more challenging, but it may lead to better results.

Question 12. What did the narrator hope that he would do one day? Was he
sure of doing so?

Answer

The narrator hoped to come back and try the other path someday. No, he did not
think he would do so because he knew that one path led to another and it would
be difficult for him to come back.

Question 13. Why did the poet stand long on the forked road to make the
decision?

Answer

The poet took a long time to make a decision because he could not foresee which
choice would prove to be beneficial for hint as he looked at the roads he couldn’t
see beyond a particular point. One road was well-trodden and the other showed
no signs of anyone treading on it. Thus the poet stood there for a long time
undecided which one to experiment with.

Question 14. Why did the poet doubt he would ever reach the same
intersection again?
Answer

The poet is pragmatic enough to know he may not be able to retrace his steps as
one way leads to another. The path he has chosen will probably take him so far
from the trodden path that he may find it difficult to return.

Question 15. The poet kept the other road for another day. Was he able to
travel back on that road? Explain.

Answer

The poet left the first road thinking that he would use it on some other day.
However, he was not able to travel back on that road. He could never come back
as the road he took led to other roads. He went so far from the first road that he
doubted if he would ever come back to walk on it.

Question 16. Why does the last stanza of the poem start with a sigh?

Answer

The last stanza of the poem begins with a sigh of regret. The title, too, suggests
the poem is about the road the poet did not travel on. The poet had left the road
more frequented for another day. However, as one path led to another, he was not
able to come back and walk on the other road.

Question 17. What is the main problem or the dilemma of the poet?

Answer

Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ revolves around the dilemma of making
the right choices in life. He suffers from an illusion that he can use the option he
has left for the other day. Whatever ‘road’ or way of life he chooses, it makes all
the difference in his life. Sometimes after a long time, he will have to repent for
choosing the path that was less travelled by. It didn’t turn out to be quite a
rewarding choice or option.
Question 18. What is the setting of the poem?

Answer

The setting of the poem is a wood where the poet, Robert Frost, has gone for a
walk. He comes to a fork in the woods and does not know which path to take.
Both the roads are equally attractive and inviting. While one of the roads is the
more frequented and easy, the other is less travelled and full of challenges. The
poet decides to take the less frequented road.

Question 19. Why has the poet’s choice ‘made all the difference’ in his life?

Answer

Robert Frost uses the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in
life. The two roads represent two alternative ways, two options and two directions
of life. One has to face the dilemma. He opts for an unconventional and risky path
of life. He chooses to be a poet. This choice has made all the difference in his life.
Perhaps he would realise late in life that he chose an alternative which was less
rewarding than the one he had left.

Question 20. Which of the two roads did the narrator take? Why?

Answer

The narrator took the road that not many people had taken. It was a grassy road
and so more inviting as not many people had walked on it. Also, the poet was
more adventurous and wanted to take a route not many had taken. He wanted the
challenge of the unknown.

Question 21. Why did the poet leave the first path?
Answer

The poet left the first path because it was well-trodden. Many people had walked
on that path. He wanted the excitement and adventure of choosing to walk a path
that was not frequented by too many people. It would offer him challenges to
face.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. Bring out the contrast and similarities between the two roads
mentioned in the poem.

Answer

Both the roads mentioned in the poem are the offshoots of the same road. As this
mother road running through the ‘yellow woods’ forks into two – these two roads
are formed. Both of them are equally inviting and put the traveller in a fix as he
stands to wonder which road to take up.

A keen observation reveals that, unlike the other road, one of the roads is well-
trodden. It has commonly been chosen by a majority of the people. Maybe it is
considered to be an easier path. However, it takes a turn and its end cannot be
seen just as the other road’s destination cannot be foreseen. In the morning both
the roads are well-covered with leaves as no one has so far ventured on either of
the two. Both the roads once chosen would have to be stuck to. Years later
whichever road is not taken would be looked at wistfully and one would wonder
whether the right choice had been made.

Question 2. Bring out the symbolism in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Answer

The poem The Road Not Taken’ concerns a choice made between two roads by
the poet. The poet decides to explore one road and then come back and explore
the other but this might not be possible. The choice of roads in the poem
symbolizes the choices that one has to make in life. All the choices appear to be
equally attractive. They are confining too as one cannot foretell the eventual result
of one’s choice. Through the years, however, we come to find out that the choices
we make and the paths we choose, will make all the difference in our lives.

Question 3. What is the moral presented by the poet in the poem ‘The Road
Not Taken’?

Answer

This is an inspirational poem and quite tricky, according to Robert Frost himself.
The poem presents an antithesis. The traveller comes to a fork and wishes to take
both, which is impossible. First, one of the roads is described as grassy and
`wanted wear’, then he says that both the roads look the same. This represents the
eternal dilemma in man when he finds the grass greener on the other side. This
poem is a call for the reader to forge his or her way in life and not follow the path
that others have taken. This poem encourages self-reliance, reinforces the power
of independent thinking and sticking to one’s decisions. The poet does not
moralize about choice. He simply says that choice is inevitable and you will never
know until you have lived the `difference.’ So there is nothing right or wrong
about a choice, it is all relative. Whatever direction one takes one must pack it
with determination and zest for one can never turn the clock back, or relive that
moment.

Question 4. Discuss the title of the poem “The Road Not Taken”. Is it
appropriate for the poem?

Answer

The poem has an apt title. ‘The road’ is the symbol of the choices made by us in
life. Many times, we regret the choice made by us but what is done once cannot
be undone. Or, we may be happy for having taken the decisions we did. Even as
the speaker makes a choice of taking the path that is less walked on, and leaves
the well-trodden path for another day, the speaker knows that he will never be
able to return to take the other path.

He knows that sometime in the future he will regret, or at the very least he will
wonder, at the other path that is irrevocably lost. He realises that there is no Right
Path—just the chosen path and the other path. Ages hence, he will sigh over the
decisions taken. Hence, the poet has given his poem the title “The Road Not
Taken”.

Question 5. Debate the topic ‘The speaker is purposefully ambiguous about

whether or not he’s -happy with his choice.’

Answer

“The Road Not Taken” is a poem about the other road or the choices one makes.
When he has to make a choice, the speaker takes the road that many people have
avoided, or the road less taken. The other road is the road the speaker did not take.
He does want to return to the road at some point, but knows he will not be able to
come back to take that road. There is something about his decision of not taking
the other road that causes the speaker to sigh in remembrance of not leaving it.
The sigh seems to be a sad sigh, simply because he could not take both roads.

The speaker feels his decision has made all the difference. In a sense, the speaker
is trying to convince himself that he took the right road. However, the fact that
the speaker is still thinking about the other road is an indication that he will
forever have a doubt. Truly, this poem is about the other road, the road the speaker
did not take. Seeing as how “way leads on to way,” the speaker doubts that he
shall ever go back. Therefore, he visits the idea of taking the other road only in
his memory.