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Fire And Ice Robert Frost Summary

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Fire and Ice- Robert Frost In his poem Fire and IceRobert Frost compares and contrasts the two destructive forces: fire and ice. Frost presents the reader two options for the end of the world, either in hot fire or in icy cold. Although Frost chooses fire for the end of the world, he gives a fair comparison that ice could be the victor of the world's destruction. The theme presents itself with Frost taking the position of fire. Frosts describes his view toward fire in the third and fourth lines when he says, "From what I've tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favor fire." This comparison suggests that Frost sees desire as an emotion that can consume and destroy, much like fire. Fire can spread easily and is contagious- nearly anything …show more content…

This is also called a Spenserian stanza. Spenserian stanzas are very famous for their form so Frost uses two well known elements, fire and ice, to match the reputation of the poem's form. Interestingly, when reading the poem out loud it is noticeable that each line ends with either an 'ire' for fire or desire, an 'ice' for ice, or 'ate' for hate. Also, each line either contains four or eight syllables. The question that Frost implies in his poem also has a distinct structure. Fire and Ice are two completely different opposites, making this poem very black and white, going one way or the other. However, Frost finishes his poem saying that ice is just as destructive as fire, which is interesting because he makes the connection at the very last line of the poem. The diction of this poem is quite plain. Although the words are simple and no more than three syllables, the interesting about his poem is that it is an imperfect rhyme that follows an unusual pattern of ABAABCBCB. The simplicity of the words is what really brings out the real meaning though. By simply having fire and ice, Frost shows how this poem is nothing complex, only two natural opposing forces. It gets more interesting when he compares them with human qualities such as desire and hate. So although fire and ice are two opposing thoughts, desire and hate are similar in the fact that they are

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