The Road Not Taken Analysis

EXPLANATION: "The Road Not Taken"

Line 1

In this line Frost introduces the elements of his primary metaphor, the diverging roads.

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Lines 2-3

Here the speaker expresses his regret at his human limitations, that he must make a choice. Yet, the choice is not easy, since "long I stood" before coming to a decision.

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Lines 4-5

He examines the path as best he can, but his vision is limited because the path bends and is covered over. These lines indicate that although the speaker would like to acquire more information, he is prevented from doing so because of the nature of his environment.

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Lines 6-8

In these lines, the speaker seems to indicate that the second path is a more attractive choice because no one has taken it lately. However, he seems to feel ambivalent, since he also describes the path as "just as fair" as the first rather than more fair.

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Lines 9-12

Although the poet breaks the stanza after line 10, the central idea continues into the third stanza, creating a structural link between these parts of the poem. Here, the speaker states that the paths are "really about the same." Neither path has been traveled lately. Although he's searching for a clear logical reason to decide on one path over another, that reason is unavailable.

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Lines