Stylistic Analysis of Robert Frost's Poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

Abstract

This study purposes to explore Robert Frost‟s distinctive features in portraying figurative language, lexis and images in "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening". The current research suggests to make an exposition of a stylistic technique of Frost's poem by applying stylistic analysis which relies on stylistic features. Hence, the analysis depends on three stages: graphology, lexis and figurative language. Furthermore, what makes this study distinctive is the idealism of Frost‟s poetry in the sphere of Modern American poetry. This study points out a linkage between the given themes and the use of the lexical items in the poem. The figurative language concentrates on some literary devices in this study, namely, metaphor, symbolism, simile, imagery and personification. For instance, the clear personification positioned in the present poem is "He gives his harness bells a shake, to ask if there is some mistake"; aiding the horse with possession traits of bells and using a referring pronoun of a (He). Metaphor also operates a critical task in transmitting the overall notion of the theme, as seen in this poem which embraces the archetypes of death and life; Frost envisaged the idea of death into a simpler, but yet more approachable conception which is "sleep".