Speakers In Frost And Hughes Poems example essay topic

Spirit of Poet One requires ingenuity to write beyond his or her typical interest or knowledge base, and a strong sense of self-understanding and confidence to express any type of specialized or emotional sentiment. Poets are fearless warriors, composing into translation for others what is otherwise only understood in their own hearts. Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and John Milton go deeper into their art over the course of their lifetimes, reflecting a spirit of inquiry into their work. In "The Road Not Taken,"Mother to Son", and "When I Consider How My Light Is Spent", respectively by these three authors, themes such as light, and life is a journey, help the reader not only understand the message of the poets, but dawn in respect for the intent poetry. Light is mentioned in all three poems in ways that reflect the frame of mind of each poem's respective speaker. Frost's speaker is traveling through a "yellow wood", one "morning", when "two roads" diverge and a choice is made to continue traveling on the one that "wanted wear".

The alliteration of the "w" vibration in "yellow wood" and "wanted wear" draw attention as a diversion from the quick pace of the loose iambic rhythm. Combining literary devices like rhythm and alliteration add to the effect of the poem, and to its other elements, such as metaphor and visual imagery. Set in a forest illuminated with "yellow" landscape and the brightness of "morning" sun, the traveler's attitude adds another level of light to the lightness of the day. Frost creates a cheerful autumn atmosphere, naturally leading his character through a process of decision-making with the casual consideration of two goods, avoiding the typically associated fear and stress, as perceived in Hughes' "Mother to Son."Well, son, I'll tell you", Hughes introduces his speaker with language that creates a strong and confident persona, speaking whole-hearted ly to her son. "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair", she goes on to say, she is described as independent of external light, since she is "sometimes go in' in the dark where there ain't been no light". This offers an allusion that she is guided by her own inner light.

Hughes' freely styled visual imagery describes a difficult and desolate atmosphere, especially when compared to Frost's bright, rhymed and rhythmic poem. Hughes instead glorifies his speaker by allowing her to express how she has lived in brightness despite drab circumstances. Both speakers encounter challenge, and both speakers are lead through with light. Milton, who is in fact the speaker in his autobiographical poem, has in common with the speakers of Frost and Hughes' poems that he also lives at the mercy of his decisions without visual foresight of the future. "Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless", Milton contrasts darkness with the great vastness of the world, and life, since he can no longer witness with his eyes.

Though he still possesses his talent, it is "useless" to him. What good is the gift of writing poetry, or of having "talent" as Milton ambiguously describes in the biblical sense of money, if it is dormant and not able to be used? Like the speakers in Frost and Hughes' poems, Milton also faces important decisions of what to do with himself, and, as proven by the existence of this poem, prevails also like the other two speakers. Frost's traveler, "took the [road] less traveled by, And that has made all the difference", and Hughes' "Mother" is "still go in'... still climb in."Goin',"climb in',"road,"travel,"stairway,"way,"leads,"speed,"post", and "o'er", accumulative ly indicate activity in all three poems. The authors write these words to show progression, or moving forward. This theme is as symbiotic with the theme of light since they are exponentially greater with their synergistic affect.

Illustrating the effectiveness of confidence and self-inquiry, the mutual themes and different styles of these three poets show virtuous stories of success. Frost's speaker travels on a path as it splits into two separate roads, and says "I... /looked down one as far as I could / to where it bent in the undergrowth; /Then took the other". We do not know whether the traveler looks down the chosen path, or how much of it is visible. Hughes's speaker, who repeats her second line in dynamic conclusion, "life for me ain't been no crystal stair", also does not necessarily have such a clear vision of where her "stairway", or life, is leading her. She compares it to how obvious it might be if it were reflected in transparent crystal. Each of these speakers is learning his or her capabilities with the process of every internalized decision.

Milton also clarifies his decision through internal processing. Juxtaposing a nearly hopeless question-thought directed to his "Maker" with a reply from "Patience", Milton describes how a sincere meditation can essentially shine light onto an issue and ease an intimidating challenge: "Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?" I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need Either man's work or His own gifts. Who best Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best... Concluding that he is fit to "serve [God] best" in a situation dissimilar to a previous time previous in his life, after being "denied" of his eyesight, marks notable progress for Milton. Frost, Hughes and Milton, with their talented poetry, provide examples of inner strength and light blessing a person with faith and hope..