Modernism Robert Frost

ROBERT FROST MODERNIST

Modernism is defined as “modern artistic or literary philosophy and practice; especially a self-conscious break with the past and a search for new forms of expression.” In poetry the modernist period covered approximately the first half of the 1900’s. In rather general terms, modernist poetry is considered innovative and totally new, breaking with the past patterns of what was considered the Romantic period.

There are several distinct features in modern poetry. It should be new, with an emphasis on the imagination, and sometimes complex, involving different peoples and cultures. Therefore, there is always a discussion on whether Frost meets the criteria of the modernist poet.

Frost’s poems use everyday language in simple, tradition verse forms. His poetry is reminiscent of 19th century Romantic poets in some ways, but he is definitely a modern poet. The voice in his poetry is the natural speaking voice of a New Englander, delivered in a realistic, yet lyrical style. He brings the ordinary up to the level of extraordinary with such things as the images of a snowy woods, a fork in a woodland path, or a lonely wife that runs back to her mother. In his poem, “The Road Not Taken,” he does not exactly shake up the well worn path poetry had taken through the years. Over the course of his life, he produced numerous volumes of poetry, and although not always well received, he eventually developed a faithful following of Americans who found delight and great significance in his work.

Frost was “mentored” to a certain extent by Ezra Pound, most definitely a modernist poet, although twelve years older than Pound. “Directive” which many considered his best poem challenges the previous ways of looking at thinking and of nature. While not following exactly what might be consider the modern poet’s “boilerplate” some of his writing subtly rebels against the ones that went before him, such as the late Romantics. Frost is a...