Stopping by The Woods- A Critical Estimate

                                          

Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening as a poem carries much of its inherent but concealed substance in the title itself. A journey along the path to life with all its compulsions comes to a sudden halt as there is the temptation of the woods being irresistible. Life evolves on its own terms requiring man to respond to the challenges as much as he can do making the most of his potential, though there are times when one tends to be distracted. Such a distraction is born out of a desire to follow an escape route in an attempt to relegate the compulsions and priorities of life to the background.

The poet’s appreciation of the beauty of the woods on an apparently inclement and dreary evening is unusual and in sharp contrast to the inclination of the owner of the woods to be there to see him. If this is viewed in the context of life in terms of its continuity, the poet’s decision to stop by the woods will be considered as a diversion. Even as the poet is by the woods, he fails to get over his dilemma- whether to be there or to tear away from the place to embrace the priorities of life. He probes the congruity of his decision and refers to the fact that the owner of the woods that enthralls him would probably prefer to be away from such a distraction by way of his ignorance of the poet’s presence at the place.

 In the same way the poet stretches the essence of his dilemma to the very means of his arrival at the place, the horse. He probes further and tries to judge the propriety of his action on the basis of the behaviour of the horse, the vehicle of his diversion. He concludes that the horse with the shake of its harness bells wants to draw his attention to what extent he has been sane in taking a decision to stop by the frozen place as there is no farmhouse to rest for the night. The poet’s willingness to identify with the thoughts of the owner of the woods and then with that of the horse is an attempt to get over what he suspects has been his folly despite the apparent charms of the place. The different attractions of life like the beauty of the woods, unfolding in its enticing subtlety, prove to be essentially enchanting and alluring but to be carried away by them proves to be a negation of life that demands greater involvement.

 The realization that dawns on the poet that he needs to turn around to face the realities and responsibilities of life with the zeal of his commitment marks a turning point in the process of his thoughts. He now realizes the meaning of life in terms of an untiring engagement and this realization deepens his resolve to dedicate himself to it till his last breath, “But I have promises to keep/ And miles to go before I sleep/ And miles to go before I sleep”.