'"In White": Frost's Early Version Of Design' by Robert Frost
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The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature (5th Edition)1912A dented spider like a snow drop white
On a white Heal-all, holding up a moth
Like a white piece of lifeless satin cloth -
Saw ever curious eye so strange a sight? -
Portent in little, assorted death and blight
Like the ingredients of a witches' broth? -
The beady spider, the flower like a froth,
And the moth carried like a paper kite.What had that flower to do with being white,
The blue prunella every child's delight.
What brought the kindred spider to that height?
(Make we no thesis of the miller's plight.)
What but design of darkness and of night?
Design, design! Do I use the word aright?
Editor 1 Interpretation
"In White": Frost's Early Version Of Design
Robert Frost is one of the most celebrated American poets of the 20th century. His work delves deep into the human experience, exploring themes of nature, love, loss, and mortality. In his early poem "In White," Frost explores the idea of design and the purpose behind the natural world. The poem is a precursor to his later and more famous work, "Design." In this literary analysis, we will explore "In White" and its significance in Frost's body of work.
Overview of the Poem
"In White" is a short poem consisting of six stanzas, each with four lines. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, which means there are four stressed syllables per line. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, which gives the poem a musical quality. The title of the poem, "In White," refers to the color of the natural world that Frost describes. The poem is set in winter, and the images Frost paints are of a world covered in snow.
Analysis of the Poem
The poem opens with the speaker describing a spider on a white flower. The spider is "holding up a moth / Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth." The image is striking, and the use of the word "rigid" makes the moth seem lifeless. The spider, on the other hand, is very much alive and appears to be using the moth as a trophy. The spider's actions suggest a purpose behind its behavior, but the speaker questions whether this purpose is part of a larger design.
The second stanza continues with the theme of design. The speaker describes the snow on the ground as a "design" created by nature. The snow is pure and white, and it covers everything in sight. The speaker questions whether this design has a purpose or if it is a meaningless coincidence. The use of the word "chance" suggests that the speaker is skeptical of the idea that there is a purpose behind the natural world.
The third stanza returns to the image of the spider and the moth. The speaker notes that the spider is "holding up a moth / Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth." The repetition of this line reinforces the image and makes it more vivid. The speaker continues to question the purpose behind the spider's behavior, suggesting that it may be part of a larger plan.
The fourth stanza introduces a new image – that of a bird in the snow. The bird is described as having "drawn the snow his own width" as it moves through it. The image is striking because it suggests that the bird has agency and is actively shaping the world around it. The speaker notes that the bird's actions are part of a larger design, but again questions whether this design has a purpose.
The fifth stanza returns to the image of the spider and the moth. The speaker notes that the spider has moved on, leaving the moth behind. The moth is now covered in snow and is no longer the trophy it once was. The speaker questions whether the spider's actions were part of a larger design or simply a coincidence.
The final stanza brings the poem to a close. The speaker notes that the snow has covered everything, creating a world that is "in white." The speaker questions whether this whiteness is part of a larger design or simply a coincidence. The poem ends on a note of uncertainty, leaving the question of design unanswered.
Interpretation of the Poem
"In White" is a poem that explores the theme of design and the purpose behind the natural world. The poem is set in winter, and the images Frost uses are of a world covered in snow. The color white is symbolic of purity and innocence, but it also suggests a blank slate, something waiting to be filled. The poem suggests that the natural world is full of purpose, but it is unclear whether this purpose is part of a larger design or simply a coincidence.
The image of the spider and the moth is particularly striking. The spider is holding up the moth like a trophy, suggesting a purpose behind its behavior. However, the speaker questions whether this purpose is part of a larger plan or simply a coincidence. The use of the word "rigid" to describe the moth suggests that it is lifeless, which reinforces the idea that the spider's actions may be part of a larger plan.
The image of the bird in the snow is also significant. The bird is described as having agency and actively shaping the world around it. This suggests that the natural world is not static but is constantly changing and evolving. The speaker notes that the bird's actions are part of a larger design, but questions whether this design has a purpose.
The poem ends on a note of uncertainty, leaving the question of design unanswered. The question of whether the natural world has a purpose or is simply a coincidence is a fundamental question in philosophy and theology. Frost's poem suggests that there may be a purpose behind the natural world, but it is unclear what that purpose is.
Conclusion
"In White" is a short but powerful poem that explores the theme of design and the purpose behind the natural world. The poem is set in winter and uses the color white to symbolize purity and innocence. The images Frost uses are vivid and striking, particularly the image of the spider and the moth. The poem raises fundamental questions about the nature of the universe and our place in it. Frost's poem suggests that there may be a purpose behind the natural world, but it is unclear what that purpose is.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
In White: Frost's Early Version of Design
Robert Frost is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for his ability to capture the essence of the human experience in his works. One of his most famous poems, "Design," explores the idea of fate and the role it plays in our lives. However, what many people don't know is that "Design" was not the original version of the poem. In fact, Frost's early version of the poem, "In White," offers a unique perspective on the same theme.
"In White" was written in 1912, six years before "Design," and was published in Frost's first collection of poetry, "A Boy's Will." The poem is a sonnet, consisting of 14 lines, and follows a strict rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA CDCDCD. The title, "In White," refers to the color of the objects described in the poem, which are all white.
The poem begins with a description of a spider on a white flower. The spider is described as "holding up a moth / Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth." The image of the spider holding the moth is both beautiful and disturbing, as it suggests the spider is about to devour its prey. The use of the word "rigid" to describe the moth emphasizes its lifelessness and the inevitability of its fate.
The second quatrain of the poem describes a white heal-all flower, which is also known as a self-heal. The flower is described as having "a snow-drop spider on it / And white moth's wings." The use of the word "snow-drop" to describe the spider emphasizes its whiteness and delicacy, while the mention of the moth's wings again suggests the inevitability of death.
The third quatrain of the poem introduces a new image: a white spider on a white flower. The spider is described as "holding up a moth / Like a white piece of lifeless satin cloth." The repetition of the image of the spider holding a moth emphasizes the theme of fate and the idea that death is inevitable.
The final couplet of the poem offers a commentary on the images described in the previous quatrains. The speaker asks, "What but design of darkness to appall?-- / If design govern in a thing so small." The use of the word "design" suggests the idea of fate or a higher power controlling the events described in the poem. The question posed by the speaker is whether this design is meant to "appall" us, or if it is simply a natural part of life.
The theme of fate is central to both "In White" and "Design." However, the two poems approach the theme in different ways. "In White" focuses on the inevitability of death and the idea that fate is a natural part of life. The images of the spider and the moth emphasize the fragility of life and the idea that death is always lurking around the corner. The use of the word "design" in the final couplet suggests that this fate is not random, but rather part of a larger plan.
"Design," on the other hand, takes a more philosophical approach to the theme of fate. The poem begins with the speaker describing a white spider on a white flower, similar to the image described in "In White." However, in "Design," the spider is described as "holding up a moth / Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth." The use of the word "rigid" suggests that the moth is already dead, and the spider is simply holding up its lifeless body.
The second quatrain of "Design" introduces a new image: a white flower with a "design" of three white heal-all flowers. The speaker questions the purpose of this design, asking whether it is "a mock / A blight, a death-dart." The use of the word "mock" suggests that the design is not real, while the words "blight" and "death-dart" suggest that the design is harmful.
The final couplet of "Design" offers a commentary on the images described in the previous quatrains. The speaker asks, "What but design of darkness to appall?-- / If design govern in a thing so small." The use of the word "design" again suggests the idea of fate or a higher power controlling the events described in the poem. However, in "Design," the speaker questions the purpose of this design, suggesting that it may be harmful or meaningless.
Overall, "In White" and "Design" offer two different perspectives on the theme of fate. "In White" emphasizes the inevitability of death and the idea that fate is a natural part of life, while "Design" questions the purpose of fate and suggests that it may be harmful or meaningless. Both poems are masterpieces of modern poetry and continue to be studied and analyzed by scholars and poetry enthusiasts alike.
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