"The Road not Taken": Explanation

Reference to the context: Robert Frost is a twentieth century American poet. He blends willoquial and aspects of tradition in his vernacular style. His lucid style is clearly expressed- simple and beautiful.

The persona stands bewildered and muddled at juncture of a forked road meandering in and out. He simultaneously wants to travel both. The untrodden road has claim and appeal due to its greenery and the need to be trodden upon, sitting in the ragging of vegetables and greenery, its beauty and allure binds him. But one way leads to another. He chooses the less frequent path after a prolonged state of indecision and hesitation. He has nothing to rue or regret.

Stanza 1: 

He is dazed, confused and in the state of indecision. The two roads that could be followed make him feel lost in front of the difficult decision. He is bewildered by the meandering roads. These two roads lead into an enchanting and fascinating forest. The leaves on the trees along the roads are yellow due to autumn and make the place attractive and beautiful- worth seeing and worth exploring. The leaves are yellow and destarched. At such times every field seems equally attractive. He had to go through a formidable task. As Cicero says:

“Ignorance of future ills is a more useful thing than knowledge.”

Stanza 2: One of the roads had better claim, it had something better about it. It was unfamiliar and less frequented, more alluring. But there was no real or apparent difference. They were equally mangled by vegetation. The poet liked experimenting new things.

Stanza 3: There were no footprints of anyone travelling back on either road and the leaves lay undisturbed. He left the trodden path for some other day, knowing that on the way he might get lost in the maize of roads. The poet doubted if he would ever get back to the starting point where the two roads diverged. One path leads to another and it is uncertain if a person can come back to the junction again. The image of the woods and the inviting untrodden path made the poet the break the nut. His life pended on the decision. It was a trial that made him think a thousand times before starting the journey.

Stanza 4:Sometimes ages afterwards, I would tell this story to other people with a sigh about the roads that proceeded in different directions. I was fascinated and delighted to walk on the velvety green, untrodden grass. It was new and had more to offer than the trodden road. The other road had all it had to offer to the people before me and might not offer me what I want. There are loads of opportunities for me. It was a wise decision for the path gave me all I had dreamed o the spirit to live, a modification in life and a decision of remorseless conclusion.

“The road with the ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor”