Questions to consider:
- What characterizes the follow poems as part of realism?
- "Acquainted with the Night" is written in iambic pentameter and is 14 lines like a sonnet. However, it is not about love like most sonnets. What do you think Frost's intention in doing this was?
- What are the connotations (meaning and/or feelings associated with "fire" and "ice") and denotations (actual definition of the words "fire" and "ice") of "fire" and "ice" in the second poem?
Acquainted with the Night
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
In the poem "acquainted with the night", Robert Frost wrote it very detailed. He talks about some of his life story and being aquainted with the night and the hardships he had to incouter with. In stanza two line one he said , "I have looked down the saddest city lane" which means to me that he has been through some rough things throughout his liftime. Also in the first stanza line two he says "I have walked out the rain -- and back in the rain." This is saying that he has overcome the hardships and had good times, but then right back in the rain to the troubles he has faced.
ReplyDeleteThe poem Fire and Ice shows realism because it compares two opposites(Fire and Ice) which can be related to love and hatred.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question 3:
in the poem, Fire is associated with passion and desire. Ice is associated with hatred and anger.
The two are opposites but they are used in the poem they serve the purpose of ending the world.
if the world was to end in Fire; the world would end up being a place of greediness because everyone would achieve their goals regardless of how good or bad it is.
if the world was to end in Ice; the world would end up being a place where hatred, war and terror reigned over the population.
-Abel
Fire and Ice
ReplyDeleteThe reason why is Fire and Ice is characterizes as a part of realism is because it talks about real things happen in life. It talks about people and the way they believe the world will end. It show people different views on it like how some believe it will either end by fire or ice. The connotations of fire are hot, devil, pain or hurt. The connotations of ice are the opposite, because ice is more calm, or cool. The actual meaning of ice and fire is ice is liquid cool substance and fire is a hot gas. In this poem Robert Frost used rhyme to connect the poem.
Shaquia Anderson
Realism shown in the poem “Fire and Ice” revolves around the great contrasts of fire and ice. With fire, desire comes into play. Desire is just a fancy way of saying a person wants something, and will probably do anything to achieve it. Ice is a totally different thing. Hatred is associated with this element, and with hatred, negative energy can be felt. Hatred can lead to destruction, which is never a good thing at all. With desire, you can say positive energy is born. In my opinion, though, I think that the poem states that we have the choice of how things can turn out.
ReplyDeleteTo Abel:
ReplyDeleteI agree with your response to "Fire and Ice" I think that Robert Frost did a good job of showing the differences between the two. Like you said, i like how he relates fire and ice into other emotions and feelings such as hatred and anger (ice) and passion and desire (fire) like you mentioned. He also relates them to real-life situations.
*DeShanti
@Asia & Shaquia: Your responses to “Acquainted with the Night” compliment each other. Frost’s speaker does speak honestly about the hardships he has faced. This is realism because the speaker does not romanticize his situation in life.
ReplyDelete@Abel: Your identification of the word associations is correct. What do you think the speaker’s attitude is in this poem? I’m not sure whether or not he cares that people are so flawed that we will have an awful downfall. Frost’s realism is taken to an extreme in that he does not offer a peaceful end to the world.
@Amber: I hadn’t thought that Frost’s speaker could be saying that we have a choice of how things turn out. Maybe that the speaker is trying to show us how awful the world would end if it did end now. This would give the readers incentive to change their ways. Thank you for sharing this