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Essay / A Brief Analysis of Robert Frost's Poem The Gift Outright
Frost is known for his realistic depiction of rural life and his mastery of American colloquial speech. He wrote frequently about rural life in New England in the early 1900s and used them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. He was copiously influenced by Robert Graves, Rupert Brooke, Thomas Hardy, William Butler Yeats and John Keats. Some of his famous works include “The Gift Outright”, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “Birches”, “Mending Wall”, “The Road Not Taken”, and “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Robert Frost's poem The Gift Outright offers its readers many interpretive options as to the analogies he hides behind his words. I think in Frost's The Gift Outright he is trying to point out that triumph, surrender, and sacrifice are what led to the outright gift that is America. For years, what is now America was a colony under British rule; American identities were not only in themselves, but in part based on British traditions that had been strongly emphasized - it was for this reason that many struggled to become one with the land. The colonials slowly fought for independence in each of the states; Frost uses this to illustrate the moment when Americans began to triumph over English rule and take the land for themselves: "...She was ours/In Massachusetts, in Virginia,/But we were England's" ( 3-5). The author uses these lines to show that they have small victories in the progress of their own nation/land. But they still belong to England and fail to participate in the change that will shape and solidify their nation-state; they own the land, but the land does not own them – they have taken possession of the land without taking on the responsibilities associated with it. Triumph can only come when there is a trial, and sometimes humanity gives in to the trials it faces. The gift of land was accompanied by a personal expense, a sacrifice; because they did not want to receive without first giving: “As we were, we gave ourselves entirely”…” As it was, as it will become. In these lines, Frost demonstrates that imperfect citizens have given themselves to the imperfect earth to build something much greater; the dedication of the people will help America realize its full potential by enhancing it with art and stories. Giving up a part of themselves to the development of America is not the only sacrifice that Frost illustrates in his poem. The decolonization of America and the personalization of its lands were responsible for the loss of many lives. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The sacrifice and demise of many souls was subtly mentioned by Frost: “(The act of giving was many acts of war)” (13). I think Frost is trying to prove that even though the gift was pure and simple, it was just the opposite. The earth was not entirely composed of peoples; it was fought for - much conflict and oppression followed to create a free nation. Frost adopts the use of parentheses; this allows the war to be mentioned indirectly, but insists that the war wages that resulted in victory not be forgotten. Frost's poem captivates readers, making them feel the responsibilities and duties of..