An Analysis of Robert Frosts Once by the Pacific Essay

An Analysis of Robert Frosts Once by the Pacific Most readers are familiar with the poetry of Robert Frost, but they may not be familiar with his poem Once by the Pacific. This poem stands out from most of his popular poems, which frequently relate to rural New England life. Many critics have thus commented that his works are too simple. Once by the Pacific, however, seems to challenge this opinion, as it is one of Frosts more difficult poems to interpret. Although this poem also is connected with nature, the theme is more universal in that it could be related to Armageddon, or the end of the world. Even though this theme may seem simple, it is really complex because we do not know how Frost could possibly†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, God promised in Genesis 9:15 that never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. It seems that Frost portrays nature as having its own plan, as he writes with nature in the active voice. Also, why does Frost speak of this in the past tense? Perhaps Frost was thinking back to the Great Flood and painting a picture of someone by the shore before the waters started to rise. Thus, the age Frost writes about could be interpreted as the pre-Noah days on earth. Perhaps Frost is not implying that the earth was or will be destroyed by flood, even though it seems water is the destructive element. Frost could simply be creating a mood or atmosphere as a setting before the destruction to come. The low and hairy clouds create a gloomy feeling that Frost later describes as a night of dark intent. The intense images and confusing tense can fool the reader into thinking that this event has already taken place. A close examination of the tense and words reveal that the event has not occurred, but the strong images create a feeling of certainty that the end is beginning. Frost brings this intensity to a climax with the line someone had better be prepared for rage. Also, Frost speaks of an event much more powerful than flood with the last two lines, There would be more than ocean-water broken / Before Gods last Put out the Light wasShow MoreRelatedThe Poetry Of Robert Frost3137 Words   |  13 PagesThe purpose of this essay is to examine th e poetry of Robert Frost for references to themes of nature, religion, and humanity and how they relate to each other. This exercise will be prefaced with a brief introduction to the man and his life as a segue to better understanding Frost’s verse. The unexpected but unavoidable aim of this composition will be to realize that Frost’s body of work is almost too sophisticated to comprehend, his manipulation of language so elusive that each reader may believeRead MoreRobert Frost : A New England Poet3698 Words   |  15 PagesRobert Lee Frost Known for being a New England poet Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California on March 26th, 1874. Born to a New England father William Prescott Frost Jr. and a Scottish mother Isabelle Moodie who moved to the west coast from Pennsylvania after marriage (Bailey). Both his parents were teachers and poets themselves, but his father later became a journalist with the San Francisco Evening Bulletin (Bailey). Frost spent 12 years of his life growing up in San Francisco, until