Page 11 - DENG203_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_IV

Elective English—IV

Notes The poet wishes to take both roads at once, but since it’s not possible to walk down both
the roads together, he needs to choose the road he wants to walk on. The poet regrets that
he cannot take the two roads at once and says that he is “sorry” he can’t travel both roads.
It is not possible to take both roads, so the poet stands there trying to choose the path he’s
going to take.
Lines 4–5
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

The poet shows his willingness to go down both paths and he’s confused about which path
to take. He’s staring down one road to see where it goes. He is only able to see till the first
bend, where the undergrowth, the greenery of the woods and the small plants block his
view. It is here that we start thinking about the metaphorical meanings of this poem. If our
poet is at a fork in the road of his life, and not at a real road, he could possibly be trying to
look into his future with immense concentration. He still can’t really predict the future, he
is only able to see part of the path without knowing what surprises it could hold for him.
Line 6
Then took the other, as just as fair,
So after all this build up about one road, which he’s stared at for a long time, our poet
decides to take the other road. It’s “as just as fair” is a tricky phrase used to describe the
road. By combining the words “just” and “fair” in the same phrase, the poet is playing
with words as both these words could have several meanings. However in this context,
the poet talks about the road and his decision. He means the road is just as pretty, but that
in the metaphorical world of this poem, he thinks he made the fair or correct choice. The
poet seems to be choosing between two roads, or futures, that were different but possibly
equally good.
Lines 7–8
And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
The poet still seems unsure when he explains that the second path is better. It is reflected
when he says that it is only “perhaps” better. Then the poet emphasises on why the path is
better and says that it seems like it hasn’t been walked on very much, because it’s grassy
and doesn’t look worn. The traveller decides to take one of the roads “because it was
grassy and wanted wear” which means he chose the road less travelled. He concludes that
he wants his life to be different he chooses the road that has not been used by many
travellers. The phrase “wanted wear” is not personification (it is alliteration, though).
“Wanted,” in this sentence simply means “lacked.”

Lines 9–10
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
The poet of this poem is unable to come to a conclusion and he really can’t seem to make
up his mind! Just when we think he has finally declared about the path that is better, he
changes his mind and confesses that maybe both the paths are equal. The “as for that” talks
about the path being less worn. “The passing there” denotes traffic, probably on foot just
like our poet, that may have worn the paths down.

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