‘Design’ by Robert Frost and ‘Apparently with no Surprise’ by Emily Dickinson Essay

The world of literature discloses the life of nature and human beings in all the aspects of our existence through metaphorical and ironical presentations. The poems under analysis, ‘Apparently with no Surprise’ by Emily Dickinson and ‘Design’ by Robert Frost, are considered to be bright illustrations of nature embodiment depicted through the description of its beauty and cruelty at the same time. The authors managed to illustrate similar ideas of life metaphors, rules of nature, and the place of God in everyone’s soul.

Robert Frost, the author of the poem ‘Design,’ strived to raise the question of the nature of God on the basis of naturalistic rebuttal and effects description. It should be stressed that Frost managed to show the facts of God’s existence. The poem is quite metaphorical and symbolic; thus, the author demonstrates ridiculous images of spider description and unusual configurations of universe interference in human life.

I found a dimpled spider, fat, and white,

On a white heal-all, holding up a moth… (Frost, 1983)

The principal question of the poem is concentrated on the fact of God’s existence being demonstrated through a number of rhetorical phrases and thought-provoking themes.

What but the design of darkness to appall?

If design governs in a thing so small. (Frost, 1983)

The form of poem presentation is aimed at showing the author’s idea of design or planning presentation; he promoted the thought that the world is consciously created balancing the concepts of life and death through ‘darkness’ and ‘characters of death’ depiction.

Comparing Robert Frost’s ‘Design’ with the poem ‘Apparently with no Surprise’ written by Emily Dickinson, It is necessary to underline the fact that both works demonstrate similar ideas of nature acting and God’s interference in this process. Dickinson tried to describe nature through the life metaphor demonstration; she showed a late frost settling on flowers and killing them, though the sun passing did not influence the event.

The sun proceeds unmoved,

To measure off another day,

For an approving God. (Dickinson, 1957)

It should be noted that the author managed to compare the natural processes with the role of God in human life; she states that both nature and God without the purpose of favoritism or interruption performing the things to be performed. The basic idea is to prove the fact that what is going on should be perceived as a step of fate that can be changed neither by nature nor by God.

The analysis of the two poems showed sharp similarities in the ideas presented by their authors; everything in the world is created, designed, and controlled by the higher power, God, and the universe and can not be influenced or changed in accordance with the rules of the nature. It is necessary to stress that the poems appeared to be symbolic and metaphorical as Dickinson and Frost managed to use a number of stylistic and expressive means such as similes and symbolism in their character’s descriptions. (Perkins, 1998)

The poems ‘Design’ and ‘Apparently with no Surprise’ are considered to be real masterpieces of world literature, raising the questions of God’s power and rules of nature dominating human life. The poems demonstrated a thought-provoking and profound theme involving the reader into the world of natural philosophy and reflecting the author’s inner understanding of God’s power.

References

Frost, Robert. Design. Prometheus Press, 1983.

Dickinson, Emily. The poems of Emily Dickinson. Hayes Barton Press, 1957.

Perkins, George. The American Tradition in Literature. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 1998.