Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost - Research Paper Example

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost There is no doubt that the appreciation of poetry, or any literature, is enhanced and furthered by research into the context in which a particular piece of work was written. The life of the writer him/herself; the society in which the writer worked; the political and social world surrounding the writer; even the historical times in which the writer lived and wrote – all contribute to the understanding of a particular piece of writing (Collingwood, 1938: 135). It is further of value to examine the commentary of other writers and critics on the work of a particular writer. Both a personal interpretation and a more thorough analysis of a piece of work are possible from a consideration of the opinions and interpretations of other people. Personal omissions, and perhaps even errors in interpretation can then be reconsidered, and a clearer personal understanding of the work can be achieved. By including biographical information on a writer, or artist, as well as the contextual information available, and a wide spectrum of previous critiques, a more complete view of a particular piece of work will certainly result. Robert Frost’s poem, “Acquainted with the Night” is no exception. An initial reading of the poem is certain to impress with the careful structure and simplicity of the diction selected by Frost. An impression of extreme loneliness – “not to call me back or say goodbye” (line 10) – with which any reader would on some level identify is created and the bleak imagery – “saddest city lane” (line 4) – enhances the sense that the cityscape he provides is uninviting and alienating. Yet it seems almost simplistic and purely descriptive, able to be universally understood on some level but not perhaps a sophisticated or complicated poem. Most people are likely to have experienced some level of loneliness, or feelings of being unwanted, and be able to identify with the emotions of the poet here. A wider view of the poetry of Robert Frost, his social context, his concerns, and the commentary of other writers on his work reveals, however, the complex and significant piece of art that this poem represents. The seemingly simple language is already evidence of Frost’s skill as a writer. In form, “Acquainted with the Night” has fourteen lines, like a sonnet. It is also composed of lines in strict iambic pentameter, but with the extra syllables which categorizes it as “Terza rima” a form begin by Dante in the poem “The Divine Comedy” (Fowler, 1930: 623). In this form, the poem rhymes in the pattern aba bcb cdc dad aa. According to Fowler, again, this produces for the poem a sense of “unending continuity”. Not only is this form very difficult to master in English, because Dante’s Italian provides far more words than English that have vowels to use as rhyming endings, it is also a form which very few American writers attempted (Lentricchia, 1975: website). It is evident that Frost wished to use this form because of its effect of creating the sense of continuation, of the suffering being never-ending in the mind of his reader. It is further evident that the skill and hard work he must have employed to create this form of poem are unquestionable. Simultaneously, however, he is able to see the simplest of repetitive structure to communicate effectively. The balance in line 2: “I have walked out in rain – and back in rain” tied to the repetition effortlessly emphasizes the endlessness, the length of time and the depth of suffering the speaker feels. A watch telling time, but without definition “neither wrong nor right” (line 13) again emphasizes the irrelevance and meaninglessness of time to the speaker. The images used in the poem reflect Frost’s imaginative and unique view of the world. He personifies the city – “the saddest city lane” (line 4) – and the night as a person with whom he has become acquainted. In an apostrophe, he addresses the clock, and emphasizes his restlessness with a contrary “…stopped the sound of feet” (line 7). Despite the sophisticated form of the poem, also the diction he uses enables the poem to appear simple and easy to understand – he does not need to use elaborate and complicated language to convey very significant emotion. “I dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain” (line 6) for example, is simple in diction and construction, yet conveys an instantly recognizable state of mind, where an individual is ashamed, and so overwhelmed by sadness that it cannot be explained to others. This ability to capture powerful images, familiar to most readers, in simple and direct form, is one of this poet’s writing’s most recognizable characteristics. And he is able to convey powerful and universal themes in this way. Perhaps best known for his Nature poems, Frost frequently uses nature in his poems as a character to expose conflict and metaphysical thought (Poirier, 1960: website). Lack of communication and communication as a means to escape isolation and loneliness also feature frequently in his poetry (Yorke, 2008: website). Yet communication is difficult for the individual. It becomes impossible for the individual to establish a relationship with anyone else. Indeed, even the simplest communication is too difficult, and Frost’s individuals condemn themselves to lives of loneliness. Tied to this theme is also the recurring idea of human isolation. Even characters in his poems who show no sign loneliness are still presented as detached from the rest of society, with points of view and ways of life that remove them from their contemporaries and peers. Isolation and also be a destructive force in the writings of Frost. For example, in "The Lockless Door," the narrator has remained in a "cage" of isolation for so many years that he is too terrified to answer the door when he hears a knock. (Lentricchia, 1975: website). Such individuals are not able to become complete happy human beings, and continue to prevent the end of their own isolation. As an extension to the theme of Nature in many writings, Frost also ties nature to everyday life. He presents life in more natural settings as less complicated and yet more meaningful than life in cities. Metaphysical meaning is found in everyday tasks and the relationship between humans and nature is shown by his descriptions of rural life. Urban life is does feature in Frost’s poetry but it is presented as far less desirable than rural life. The concepts of rationality and imagination feature in many of his poems, too, and the opposition of rural and city life also receive focus (Lentricchia, 1975: website). A consideration of these themes, generally featured in Frost’s work certainly adds to an understanding of this poem, “Acquainted with the Night”. The narrator or speaker in this poem, perhaps autobiographically Frost himself (Yorke, 2008: website), finds himself unable to sleep, and walks through the city at night, becoming “one acquainted with the night” (line 1). He is isolated from society, and lonely. The natural world is also part of his experience: but this is the unpleasant feeling of being continually in the rain, perhaps reflecting the cold sadness which engulfs the speaker. As he walks to the very edge of the city: “I have outwalked the furthest city light” (line 3) he is perhaps seeking the calm and quiet of nature, to soothe his emotions. Further, he avoids communication with others, walking past the watchman on his beat, and drops his eyes (line 6) serving to emphatically communicate his aloneness to the reader. It is also clear that the speaker is avoiding contact with others, isolating himself further, as he seems not to want to confide in anyone else, in any way. The imagination features in the lines referring to the clock, which seems at an “unearthly height” and is “luminary” (lines 11, 12). It is also possible that in the speaker’s imagination, time is standing still, as it seems his suffering, sadness and isolation will never end. Interpretations of the emotions of the writer in this poem must necessarily include a proposition that he is communicating the most profound depression to the reader (Poirier & Richardson (Eds), 1995: 271). Despite being in a busy city, with people surrounding him in numbers, he is still isolated and views everything surrounding him from this perspective. Even the “saddest city lane” (line 4) takes on the speaker’s negative emotion; so too does the “luminary clock” experience the speaker’s own lack of emotion – time is “neither wrong nor right” (line 12). It seems that the night comes to represent the blackest of depressions, and that no amount of walking or agitation will serve to lighten the speaker’s suffering. In fact, the depression and isolation are increased when the poet writes: “But not to call me back o say goodbye” in line 10, after he hears a cry in the distance. This line serves to illustrate how completely alone the speaker feels, and that it is as if he has been rejected by all around him (Yorke, 2008: website). It is clear that the knowledge of the most prominent themes in Frost’s writing do serve to enhance an understanding of this particular poem. What at first viewing had seemed to be a fairly simple poem about loneliness can be interpreted to be a darker look at the depression and lack of emotion that is possible due to loneliness and isolation from others. It could also be argued that the city itself, as opposed to the natural world, has contributed to this feeling. The other people mentioned in the poem are a watchman, doing his duty (duty is another theme in Frost’s poetry – see Poirier & Richardson (Eds), 1995: 271) and not really having time to engage with the passing walker. A voice, disembodied, is heard in the distance, and has no relevance to the speaker. Indeed, the speaker in this poem is completely isolated from other humans, and is even ensuring that he is making his only acquaintance the night. Indeed, the prominent themes of Frost’s writing generally are carried through this poem too. An alternative view of this poem’s emotional content is presented by critics, and this could be most represented by Frank Lentricchia’s view that the poem deals with the speaker’s confrontation with nothingness (1975: website). He refers to Wallace Stevens’ phrase “the experience of annihilation” where individuals are left feeling “dispossessed and alone in a solitude, like children without parents, in a home that seemed deserted, (with) a look of hardness and emptiness.” This does to a reasonable degree seem to paraphrase the emotions Frost communicates in this poem. It is, though, in an overview of the life of Robert frost, with its tragedies and suffering that the meaning of this poem is able to be most fully understood. The early years of Frost’s life present some indication of the mind that was to develop into the accomplished writer of his later years. Born in San Francisco in 1874, his father was both a journalist and editor and a teacher during his working life. He began kindergarten but attended for only one day, leaving because of a nervous stomach. Again in the second grade, he dropped out of school and was educated at home. At home, his mother is reported to have told him that he inherited her gifts: second hearing and second sight. The family was plunged into extreme poverty with the death of Frost’s father in 1885, and forced to move to Massachusetts to live with Frost’s grandparents. Soon, though, his mother was employed as a teacher and Frost’s academic path changed – he completed the year at the head of his class. By 1890, Frost’s first poem was published and in 1891 he entered Dartmouth instead of Harvard, due to financial constraints. He left Harvard at the end of 1892, and in 1893 taught eighth graders. In 1894, he was again teaching, and a rejection from a woman caused his first major depressive episode. But this rejection is short-lived and in 1895 he married Elinor White. A son is born to the couple in 1896 and a daughter in 1899. But the son dies of cholera in 1900, and Frost’s mother died of cancer in the same year. Frost’s wife, Elinor suffered from severe depression as a consequence of these events. Frost’s financial future was secured when his grandfather died and he inherited an annual income and a farm in 1901. In 1902, his second son was born. In 1903, a second daughter was born, and a third daughter was born in 1906. A fourth daughter was born in June 1907, but died within the month. In his career, Frost was becoming more regularly published and was working in education but not in the classroom. Only in 1911 he returned to the classroom briefly before deciding to live in England from 1912, and devote himself to writing full time. In England, his work was published and he began to move in the most important literary circles of the time. By 1914, Frost and his family return to the United States. Here, his academic and literary career continued to gain ground and in 1924 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for “New Hampshire” and is appointed at the University of Michigan with lifelong tenure. In his personal life, unfortunate events continue: his wife, Elinor, still suffered bouts of depression; his sister died in a mental hospital in 1929; his daughter was diagnosed with tuberculosis and died in 1834, after giving birth to her daughter. In 1938, Elinor died and Frost is reported to have shown signs of continued and escalating emotional instability. In 1930, his only remaining son committed suicide. His daughter, Irma, was confined to the state Mental Hospital in 1947. Throughout these crises, however, Frost’s work continued to be produced and published. Honors are heaped upon him by the US Government and various universities and associations. In 1963 he died after an embolism (all biographical information: website: Robert Frost: America’s Poet). Frost’s life, then, was a mixture of professional improvement, beginning perhaps inauspiciously, but certainly culminating in triumph. His personal life, though, was regularly disrupted by intense tragedy. Perhaps, then, even further proposals can be made as to the meaning of the poem, “Acquainted with the Night” given the nature and progression of Frost’s life. The speaker in the poem could more narrowly be considered to be an autobiographical figure: Frost himself experiences intense sadness and depression at numerous times in his life, when tragic loss and difficulty faces him. The physical setting of the poem, as described through the eyes and perceptions of the speaker, is not inviting or pleasant. He moves only in rain – the natural symbol of blessing and fertility – but now more reminiscent of the tears and sadness of depression and solitude. Rain in the cityscape seems not to be the same as the enriching, generous rain of the countryside. The very alleyways and roads appear sad. The distance of first people, then the houses, then the clock from the speaker increase as the poem progresses until the clock appears to be an “unearthly height” away. The speaker feels alienated not only from people but also from his surroundings and this sense of alienation and isolation is ever-increasing. The speaker in the poem seems unable even to make eye contact with the people that he meets. His depression has made him incapable of interacting in normal society. While normal people are associated with the day (happiness, sunlight, optimism), the speaker is acquainted with the night. He does not even have the same sense of time as the other people in the city: instead of using a clock that provides a definitive time for every moment, the narrator relies solely on “one luminary clock” in the sky, which cannot give him a “wrong nor right” time. And then his glimpse at the clock suggests to him the indifference of time which does not restrict him, or limit his journey, it just continues with no relevance to him. He has no recourse to time – it will not heal his emotions, nor will it enable him to move beyond the present which is filled with sadness. Ironically, since night is the only time that he emerges from his solitude, the speaker has even less opportunity to meet someone who can assist him – communication is, after all, one of the central themes of Frost’s writings. If he were to engage with anyone – the night watchman, perhaps – he would be unable to be understood anyway. The distance between him and those around him seems insurmountable. Even the voice he hears is distant, and it has no relevance to him. It appears that even those close to him cannot break through his isolation – he perceives that they would not want him to return, nor want to greet him and wish him well on his way. His sense that he is becoming acquainted with the night constructs a cycle of depression that he cannot escape. This cycle is further strengthened by the structure of the poem as discussed earlier, and the components of the poem combine to create a sense of the endless suffering of Frost’s life, reflected in this walk through city streets at night. The city has not met his needs despite the fact that he has moved through it to the “furthest city light”. And when the first line is repeated at the close of the poem, it is clear that this is not an easily broken pattern of loneliness. A very convincing representation of the feelings of the poet, through the speaker, is offered. This poem is universal in its ability to communicate very real and very recognizable emotions to most readers. Its simplicity is matched with a depth of meaning that is reflected in the complexity of its rigid structure. Elements such as the imagery and the figures of speech combine and complement the language and structure to communicate on an almost instantly recognizable level the debilitating and distorting effects of real depression and sadness. The isolation and alienation of the speaker is able to be identified with by even a reader who has perhaps not experienced the depths of suffering that the writer is communicating. If the poem is indeed strongly autobiographical, Frost has certainly communicated the extent of the effect that several and successive tragedies had on his psyche. The darkness and sadness of the poem is almost palpable. Perhaps this poem is able to reflect the reality of the human condition: all humans are at one or another stage likely to feel this level of emotion. Darkness is indeed part of the life of everyone, and everyone may at some point be able to become one acquainted with the night. The isolation of the individual from his/her contemporaries is very real, and could indeed become definitive in anyone’s life. The evident value of research into the biographical, socially and politically contextual, and the historical evidence surrounding a piece of writing cannot be ignored. Neither should the opinions and points of view of other critics and writers regarding the meaning of an artwork be overlooked as enhancements to a personal interpretation and appreciation. It is clear that the understanding and appreciation of a poem at first seemingly simple and uncomplicated as “Acquainted with the Night” is immeasurably enhanced by a consideration of its context and the life of its author. Having completed the research and background reading related to this poem, it is clear that a thorough research into the topic one is considering is vital. In order to reach a personal conclusion, it is necessary to have as many of the available facts at hand, so that an informed and qualified judgment is possible. It is also valuable to realize that the information surrounding a particular piece of work, event or artist is available from many sources. Other writers will have critiqued, or reported on, or examined the same thing that one is examining. Their opinions are valuable and worthy of consideration. In any academic sphere, thorough research of one’s own is necessary, but a personal input and reformulation of ideas is also essential. In short, this has proven to be a worthwhile personal exercise, enabling one to perceive the depth of understanding required to reach effective conclusions and perceptions about any ting in life. References Collingwood, R.G. (1938) The Principles of Art London and New York: Methuen Ehrlich, E. & Gorton, C. (1982) The Oxford Illustrated Literary Guide to the United States (Vol. 50) New York: Oxford University Press Fowler, H.W. (1930) A Dictionary of Modern English Usage Oxford: Humphrey Milford Lentricchia, F. (1975) On “Acquainted with the Night” from Robert Frost: Modern Poetics and the Landscapes of Self New York: Duke University Press and available at Modern American Poetry website: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/index.htm. Accessed July 18, 2011 Poirier, R & Richardson, M. (Eds) (1995) “Robert Frost” in Collected Poems, Prose and Plays (Vol. 81) New York: Library of America Poirier, R. (1960) “Robert Frost, The Art of Poetry” in The Paris Review available at http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/4678/the-art-of-poetry-no-2-robert-frost . Accessed July 18, 2011 Writer Unknown, (Date Unknown) “Robert Frost Biographical Information” on website Robert Frost: America’s Poet available at http://www.ketzle.com/frost/ . Accessed July 18, 2011 Yorke, E. (2008) “Poetry analysis: Acquainted with the Night, by Robert Frost” available at http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/frost/life.htm. Accessed July 18, 2011 Read More