The self and society during a stop near Woods on a snowy eveningFor the speaker of Robert Frost's poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", the time he takes to stop and look at the woods is unusual; his duties and responsibilities do not allow him to linger. Yet the speaker takes great pleasure in this unexpected break in his journey. The binary oppositions present in the poem indicate that, regardless of his responsibilities, the speaker would like to stay in the woods and absorb the scene unfolding before him. For it is here, in the woods, that the speaker feels a sense of individualism; this provides an escape from the community responsibilities with which he is charged. However, while the “natural” side of the oppositions within the poem seems privileged, the speaker ultimately chooses to leave them aside and carry out his duties. The poem's first binary opposition involves the juxtaposition of the woods and the village. The speaker recognizes that the owner of the wood lives in the village. But the speaker suggests that the owner "won't see me stopping here" because of his responsibilities in the village (3). Apparently no one else is nearby either. Obviously, the woods are a pleasant place of solitude. By filling with snow, the woods also become a place of peace. The village, on the other hand, is not filled with snow, but with people and houses. Although she remains invisible in the poem, she nonetheless remains a presence that contrasts with the woods as a scene of duty and obligation. Knowing what the village holds, the speaker wishes to stay in the woods. But the speaker is obviously not in the habit of deviating from his responsibilities. The action of the speaker's horse proves this. Like the spe...... middle of paper ......scene in the woods. Regardless, the speaker finds the forest a much more pleasant experience than the demands of the village. Here in the woods, he experiences a sense of peace and individualistic fulfillment that is lacking in the village. However, although his desire to remain in such an environment is strong, his sense of duty and obligation prevails. Regardless of what he personally wants, the speaker decides to take responsibility and log those miles before sleeping. So, ultimately, the privileging of the fundamental binary opposition within the poem between the woods and the village, the self and society, seems to change. At least in the judgment of the speaker's action, duty imposes itself. Works Cited Frost, Robert. “Stopping near Woods on a snowy evening.” 1923. A pocket of poems. Ed. David Madden.Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Brace, 1996. 39.