Question

Read the poem below and answer the question that follows. "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Source: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2011. How would a formal interpretation differ from a biographical interpretation of this poem? Explain how you would interpret this poem from either theoretical point of view.

Answer 1

Provided from test:

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information:

The response should indicate an awareness that a formal interpretation would focus on the structure, literary elements, and devices in the poem, while a biographical interpretation would focus on the author's life and movitations.

Answer 2

How would a formal interpretation differ from a biographical interpretation of this poem?

With a formal interpretation of the poem, you would certainly need to take into account the elements of poetry such as rhyme scheme, tone, setting, imagery, etc. With a biographical interpretation, you would take into account the author along with the text and base all analysis upon the relation you see between author and text. A formal interpretation would see the work more independently and self-sustaining.

Explain how you would interpret this poem from either theoretical point of view.
When one looks to interpret a work of literature from a theoretical point of view, one would view the work through the “lens” of a particular theory/theoretical concept. Thus, it is a manner in which one could view literature as it could be known in varying contexts. What you would need to do is familiarize yourself with postmodernism, for instance, then look for postmodern elements within the poem thus interpreting the poem based upon the elements you have determined to be postmodern in your interpretive reading.