James Wright’s works are often accepted as an expression of anger among the readers in America. But his poem “A Blessing” shows the poet’s tender side. The poem demonstrates his love for animals and nature. Analyzing the poem “A Blessing” a reader can feel some differences in Wright’s conventional writing style. Robert Frost is a widely accepted American poet and his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” reveals his philosophy about earthly life and nature. Both Frost and James Wright share their views about nature and animals and earthly life in their works. Analyzing “A Blessing” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” one can see some similarities in attitude and presentation of ideas and also feel difference in theme.
In “A Blessing”, Wright describes his affection towards two Indian ponies. The poet and his friend notice two horses that are cramped behind a fence near the highway. The background is night which is surrounded by extreme darkness. The idea is clear in line 2, “Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass” (Wright line.2).
The poet and his companion climbed over the treacherous fence which shows their passion towards the animal and they avoid the possibility of injury. Then, the poet expresses the friendly stature of the ponies towards the poet and his companion. The image of lonely ponies helps the reader understand the horror of isolation on this earth. Poet mentions that two horses have been grazing all day alone without disturbances. The darkness and isolation provide frustration to the mind of the reader.
Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” demonstrates a casual event at first reading. On a deeper level, poet gives some serious thought about death and isolation. The image of ‘snowy night’ and ‘dark wood’ creates a sense of isolation and fear. Frost tries to convey the fact that death is not frightful in this world and every person in this world has much time to live. The poet stands near the wood with the feelings of pain and isolation. Poet writes, “Between the woods and frozen lake/The darkest evening of the year” (Frost line.7-8).
Analyzing the works of James Wright and Frost, a reader can find that both of them keep friendly attitudes towards the animal horse. The ponies show a carefree attitude towards the poet and his friend and they jump frantically. The Poet’s love for one of the ponies reaches its zenith when the poet compares the horse to a woman. In the case of Robert Frost, the horse is presented as the nearest companion or relative. Poet reveals his thought through the horse and its shaking of the harness bell indicates poet’s thoughts and feelings. This is supported by lines 9and 10; “He gives his harness bells a shake/To ask if there is some mistake” (Frost line.9-10). The image of horse in both poems leads one to think about the interaction between human beings and animals.
James Wright’s poem ends with a serious revelation that the pony is an animal and not a human being and this revelation forced the poet and his companion to step back into the animal. Earlier, poets say that the two horses have little human contact at all, which shows a frantic attitude while being touched. In the same way Frost ends his poem with a thought-provoking revelation. At first, poet stops and looks at the snowy woods without a convincing reason. Then, he reaches the revelation that he has many responsibilities and duties to fulfill before his eternal sleep. The poet sings; “But I have promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep” (Frost line.14-15). Both “A Blessing” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” end with a serious revelation that raises some serious questions for the reader.
In spite of the above-mentioned similarities, both “A Blessing” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” share differences also. Frost’s poem reveals different layers of meaning but Wright’s “A Blessing” gives only an external meaning. Wright gives more emphasis on his attitude and feelings towards the animal. The poet underlines the harmonious relationship between animal and human beings or nature and human beings in his poem. He writes; “They have come gladly out of the willows/To welcome my friend and me” (Wright line.5-6). Frost concentrates on the idea that man’s tendency to escape from the earth and the realization of one’s duties and responsibilities. Another difference is that Frost presents the horse as a symbol of his own inner thought and the wood as a symbol of death, but Wright demonstrates the horse as another creature in this nature. Trent Lorcher asserts; “In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost contemplates death” (Lorcher). Frost uses various literary devices, such as symbolism, imagery and figures of speech in his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
To conclude, analyzing Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and Wright’s “A Blessing”, one can find some similarities and differences. Both Wright and Frost begin their poems at an unexpected stopping and they reach a world of imagination. The treatment of nature, relationship between man and animal, isolation and final revelation constitute similarities, while internal meaning and literary devices reveal variations.
Works Cited
Frost, Robert. Stopping by Woods on A Snowy Evening. (Provided by the customer). Lorcher, Trent. Analysis of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Sallyfd. 2009. Web.
Wright, James. A Blessing. (Provided by the customer).