Get the entire guide to Fire and Ice as a printable PDF. The poem is composed in a single nine-line stanza that narrows dramatically in the last two lines. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. The pattern of the poem is arranged in such a way that the words and sentences gives clarity and consistency. Terms in this set (5) What two emotions does the speaker compare fire and ice to? This is a fascinating article about the time President Kennedy sent Robert Frost to Russia in the 1960s inan effort to help defuse tensions. This has long been a topic embedded in the human psyche. Read More. Poem begins with some say which means that a group of people is of the opinion that the world will come to an end either by fire or by ice. The poem was written and published in 1920, and it was later included in Frosts 1923 collection, New Hampshire. Fire and ice robert frost analysis essay. Shapley replied that either the sun will explode and burn the Earth, or the Earth will slowly be freezing in the deep space. It is a fitting analogy in a candle or a fireplace, fire shows a person the way. The speaker of the poem, presumably in the voice of Robert Frost, doesnt care whether its one thing or another that causes things to go wrong. One of the most celebrated figures in American poetry, Robert Frost was the author of numerous poetry . Anaphora is a type of figurative language in which words/phrases are repeated in a sentence. In other words, will humans destroy the world through hating each other so much that we all kill each other? Also, read about its publication and adaptation. This is illustrated by the following stanzas in the poem, Some say the world will end in fire, (a). It makes them blind and ignorant. What makes Fire and Ice such a haunting and even troubling poem is its acknowledgment that desire and passion can be more deadly and destructive than mere hate: hate (ice) may well consume us all through war (we need only look at how religious and political differences can make whole groups of people hate their neighbours), but desire (fire) may prove even more powerful because it can provide the zeal, the irrational belief in something, that will fuel even more destructive behaviour. Analysis of "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost In this poem the author is talking about two really powerful and potentially destructive forces in the world, fire and ice. As a close opposite to the burning desires the speaker sees as being so dangerous, the ice is also a concern in their mind. Robert Frost (1874-1963) was an American poet. The fire and ice poem beautifully describes how humans let . In the poem Fire and Ice, fire symbolizes the heat of passion and ice represents the cold of hate. Fire and Ice Summary. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What counts is how the heat or cold is dealt with. Terza rima is illustrated by the presence of interlocking chain rhyme in the poem. Fire And Ice Analysis: Robert Frost's 'Fire and Ice' is a viral poem that discusses the end of the world, likening the elemental force of fire with the feelings of desire and ice with the emotion of hate. From what I have discovered over summer I hold with those who say it is great But if I had to move again I think I know enough of loss To say that for moving away The loss is also great Poem So, the poet believes that the ice of hatred would be enough and a great reason to ruin our life. About the Poet Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. Its short. Read More Poems for the Loss of a Sister That Will Make You Really EmotionalContinue, Read More Cant Get Enough? After the great destruction of world war 1st the question regarding the end of the world appears in every one's mind in different way. One such possibility is the world ending in flames of fire. Fire is utilized as a metaphor for powerful, devouring emotions like passion. The noted astronomer, when questioned by Frost, said that either the sun will explode or the earth will slowly freeze. Those are based on the saying of people. 2 May 2012. These two extremes, he expostulates, will eventually destroy the world. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. (2019, Dec 06). Aristotle basically said that to live a positive life the passions had to be controlled by reason and that humans were the only ones capable of rational thought. This is a nine-line poem: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. "Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice." In the first and second lines of poetry, the word "some say" is used Anaphora. 7. In this poem, Frost was trying to create . A lot of thought most definitely went into the creation of this poem. "Some say the world will end in fire,". We said that fire and ice are perhaps more allegorical than symbolic in Frosts poem, because rather than leaving these deeply symbolic forces of fire and ice open to speculation and different interpretations, he goes on to link them very specifically to two particular emotions: desire for fire, and hate for ice. The following is a study of some of the literary strategies utilized in this poem. Ice = hatred; fire = desire; a more accurate word for desire would be lust, which is often associated with fire; the problem is lust doesnt rhyme with fire. Fire and Ice are composed of nine lines that alternate between three, These first few words represent the general publics dispute over how the world would end. In the first two lines of the poem, Frost creates a . Therefore, the poet personifies fire and ice by giving them a mind which is capable of destroying almost anything. The fire symbolises burning desires while the ice on the other hand describes ice-cold hatred. Print out the poem. Robert Browning Poems That Are So Intriguing to Readers, T.S. The catastrophic powers mentioned in Fire and Ice operate on two levels. This "Fire and Ice" poem analysis takes you step by step through the analysis process, allowing you to teach your own literary analysis whenever the fancy strikes, which is usually about 5 minutes after your administrator says he wants to observe your students applying higher level thinking skills. Some scientists believe that it is the fire that will be responsible for the destruction of the world. Robert Frost's Fire and Ice comprises of 1 stanza with 9 lines. When fire meets ice it has no chance of continuity as it is extinguished by the ice. From what I've tasted of desire. Fire and Ice are composed of nine lines that alternate between three rhyming sounds the rhyming summary for Fire and Ice is ABA ABC BCB. The meter of the poem is an unusual blend of iambic tetrameter and dimeter, and the rhyme structure (ABA ABC BCB) implies but differs from Dantes terza rima. Ice and fire, of course, are opposites of one another, suggesting that most people have entirely opposing views on the apocalypse after all, the world cant end in ice and fire at the same time. In this poem, Robert Frost also employs several literary tricks. Fire and Ice by Robert Frost Analysis In this poem the author is talking about two really powerful and potentially destructive forces in the world, fire and ice. How We Can Learn the Function Operation Sequence. First printed in Harper's Magazine, December 1920. Aside from symbolic metaphors, Frost employs additional complex but equally, obvious language to emphasize the poems message. It was written and published in 1920, shortly after WWI, and weighs up the probability of two differing apocalyptic scenarios represented by the elements of the poem's title. Thus, the poet conveys a great message that we should learn to live in harmony and peace to keep this world habitable for generations to come. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. In this video, Robert Frost is interviewed by author Bela Kornitzer in 1952. Feel free to disagree with my interpretation. As ice can make a part of body numb with its prolonged contact like hatred can also give numbness to our mind and thoughts and make us insensitive and cruel. In the poem 'Fire and Ice', Robert Frost uses a sarcastic tone to warn us about the dangers that planet Earth could face, if we do not keep our desires and negative emotions in control. 2. In the first line, fire represents the desires of the world. No worries. The speaker has tasted it. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the long sound of /o/ in I hold with those who favor fire. Just print, make copies, and accept accolades from colleagues and students. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American. Despite this, it manages to be a powerful and thought-provoking work of art that has remained relevant and remembered decades after its original printing. These Robert Frost poetry lesson plans are ready to use. Summary of the Poem Fire and Ice - Robert Frost's poem " Fire and Ice " is a strong symbolic poem where the fire is used as the emotion of desire and ice, that of hatred. A Short Analysis of Robert Frost's 'Fire and Ice' 2022-10-13. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. The poet, therefore, compares desire to fire. The happy rhythm of the poem belies the underlying message of destruction. As fire can spread very fast and cause great destruction in no time likewise our desires may also prove very destructive if they go out of control. Frost's use of "fire" and "ice," however, is largely a metaphoric decision that opens the poem . It is very close-knit, a glaring example of the style of condensation. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem. This poem posits fire or ice, then fire and ice, as the likely causes of the world's demise. During this time in his life, he had begun teaching and writing as full-time professions while he lived on a farm in New Hampshire. Some say the world will end in fire,Some say in ice. Fire and Ice Analysis and Lyrics. Robert Frost's own powerful reading of the poem. They imagine it as something that would cool the planet, slow everything down, and isolate each individual to the point that the human species would perish. Published in December 1920 in Harper's Magazine [1] and in 1923 in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book New Hampshire, "Fire and Ice" is one of Frost . The emotion he conveys seems to convey is remorse and disgust, as shown in line five, "I think I know enough of hate.". The poet presents two completely opposite views regarding this. Williams Wordsworth I Wandered as a Cloud, Summary of The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strained, Tell all the Truth but tell it Slant By Emily Dickinson, 20 Jolly Christmas Poems To Spark Up The Christmas Spirit, Top 10 Christina Rossetti Poems Every Poem Lover Must Read. In the poem "Fire and Ice," by Robert Frost readers learn of his thoughts on how the world might terminate. The poetry, on the other hand, shows that when individuals are driven by an obsession, whether it is motivated by hatred or desire, disaster can occur. One is of the opinion that fire alone can . Meter Mostly iambic tetrameter with a few lines of iambic duometer. As an opposite to a burning flame, a chilling sheen of ice represents hatred to the speaker. Short, crisp, and to-the-point, he conveys a very profound message in just 9 lines. If you have a book you're allowed to write in, then write it in your notebook. No one knows exactly how the world will end but those are possibilities. The move was actually a return . The title makes one think of fire, a hot, scalding, flesh burning evil, and ice, a freezing, blood chilling property. The poem "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost is one that deals with the age-old topic of how the world will end. Summary. The other is a reported conversation Frost had with an astronomer in which they talked about the sun exploding or extinguishingfire or ice. The tone of the speaker is undercut with humor, wra . You can unsubscribe at any time. The poem expresses the idea that the world will end someday, either by Fire or by Ice. He presents two opposite views about the end of humanity and the world. You dont even have to continue reading unless youre hankering for some amazing analysis. The casual reference to dying twice, knowing hate, tasting desire, and other understatements underlie the poems speakers call for moderation. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Fire and Ice is a nine-line single stanza rhyming poem with a strong metrical base of iambic tetrameter and dimeter. Required fields are marked *. Elsewhere, he was fond of very short and pithy poetic statements: see Fire and Ice and But Outer Space, for example. 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He concludes that the must end in fire due to his personal experiences with the emotions of desire and passion which are of fire. In its theme the poem resembles James Patrick Kinneys poem The Cold Within. He supports those who sees the possibility of the end of the world in fire, as fire stands for passion and desire. A year earlier, W. B. Yeats had written 'The Second Coming', with its famous declaration, ' Things fall . Initially it was published in Harper's magazine. Robert Frost, in his own inimitable way, chose both, the poem expressing this dualism in a typical rhythmic fashion, using a modified version of the rhyming scheme known as terza rima where the second line of the first tercet rhymes fully with the first and third lines of the next. In an ironically conversational tone, the speaker adds that icewhich represents hate and indifferencewould "also" be "great" as a way of bringing about the end of the world. The thoughts that the poem plainly relates fire and ice to (desire and hatred, respectively) may, on the other hand, be as all-consuming. Fire and Ice was supposedly the inspiration for the title of George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire, and lends a curiously apocalyptic meaning to Game of Thrones. Other sources claim the poem was created following a conversation with astronomer Harlow Shapley about the end of the world. Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/robert-frost/fire-and-ice/. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Poet uses literary devices and proper punctuation, which gives a very beautiful rise and fall to the poem. STRUCTURALIST ANALYSIS OF THE POEM FIRE AND ICE, Phonological / Syntactic Analysis of the Poem, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Summary and Analysis of The Road Not Taken, Summary and Analysis of After Apple Picking, Benefits of Solving Previous Years Question Papers, 3 Tools That Help You Write a Compelling Research Paper. Though written in the 1920s, "Fire and Ice" has never had as much relevance as it does now in the 21 st century. Frosts speaker goes on to assert that his own view is that fire is more likely, especially in light of his experiences of desire (which is often linked with fire and heat, e.g. The point of Fire and Ice (Poem) appears to be that debating over how the worlds end will neither postpone or extend the events arrival. Fire of violent desires will put the world to an end. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. Frost says that there are two possible ways how the world could end. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia with Alzheimer's Research Charity. you Fire stands for conflict, fury, intolerance, insensitivity while Ice stands for greed, avarice, lust, rigidity, coldness, indifference, hatred, etc. This is just two years after the end of the First World War, and a time when revolution, apocalypse, and social and political chaos were on many peoples minds. We find an underlying irony in the poem when the poet presents two opposite elements in fire and ice and says that they both can have the same destructive effect on humans, despite their contradictory nature. According to Frost's biographers, the poem was inspired by a passage in Dante's "Inferno . The elements of fire and ice mentioned in the poem, and foregrounded in its title, are two of the four Aristotelian or classical elements, along with earth and air (although ice is usually just described as water, Frost whose very surname here summons the icy conditions of one half of the poem is purposely summoning these classical elements). Read it several times. Hansen, Tom. Everyone knows the world will end at some time but no one knows how. The poem has been widely analyzed and interpreted by critics, with many different perspectives on its meaning and significance. In todays world, mankinds greed is endangering the very existence of the planet Earth. Fire is the symbol of desires and Ice symbolizes hatred. Stanza form. He explains us how he thinks the world might end by two things - fire and ice. More Poems by Frost The question for the reader is, does he or she thinks the . Hatred and want are not destructive forces in the same way that the elemental elements are. His worldview. He considers it a big reason for the destruction of the world. Fire and Ice sums up the process of world-destruction. I think I know enough of hate Teaching to the Middle. The most noticeable literary device used in Frost's poem is. Comparing ice and hate to say that the slowness that ice takes ahold of things is the same as hate it takes alot to get someone to actually hate another person. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Thus, love in the presence of a lot of hate has little chance of survival as it is poisoned by the hate. Web. Fire represents the heat and is also associated with passion. The poem Fire and Ice is composed by Robert Frost. He discusses these two possibilities which will be the reason for the end of the world. STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE POEM "FIRE AND ICE" BY ROBERT FROST. Posted on March 5, 2012 by jmesquigley. Like fires, our desires burn and are hard to put out. Students can also checkEnglish Summaryto revise with them during exam preparation. The speaker cites destruction, the possibility of dying twice, and the notion that the world will end in the opening sentence. Analysis of the poem. Ice and fire are also two extremes that, on a large enough scale, may do enormous devastation, and are appropriate metaphors for harbingers of death. The present investigation will focus on stylistics devices. In a modern sense, fire and ice could well be stand-ins for nuclear disaster and climate change. Frosts use of fire and ice, however, is largely a metaphoric decision that opens the poem up to different kinds of interpretation. In nine lines, Frost conveys the contradiction of the two choices for the world's end. Please endeavor to share this article with family, friends, and colleagues. In this poem the author is talking about two really powerful and potentially destructive forces in the world, fire and ice. 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