A unity of opposites in the poetry of Robert Frost

by Chun, Oy-ling

(Uncorrected OCR) Abstract of thesis entitled lIA Unity of .QRposi tes in the Poetry of Robert Frost"

Submi tted by _C .??h .?. u ?? n- ...?Oy ??--L .?. in ?.?.. f!. ?.??For the degree of _M_ ?.?? P .?. h...,i ..? l ?..?at the University of Hong Kong in

September. 1974.

Recent biographical works on Robert Fros~ reveal

that Frost's personality is much more complex than the popular image of the poet had encouraged his readers to believe. It is the view in this thesis, that the contradictions found in Frost's work are an integral part of his personality. It is the purpose here to show the play Frost makes with opposing elements, and the unity of these elements in his poetry.

Tho introductory chapter considers the desirability

of viewing "West-Running Brook," with its pa.ttern of contrariety, as a statement of Frost's poetic practice. It tries to establish through the analysis of the poem, and then the book, the conscious design behind Frostls construction and

arrangement of the pieces in this volume; and in the Complete

Poems in general.

The chapters that follow are divided into two

sections. The first section deals with Frost's use of contrasts in his expression of his attitude towards his environment. Chapters II and III examine Frost's conception of, and attitude towards nature and New England respectively; while Chapter IV secks to explain how tho above affect his relationship to the urbanised world. It also tries to discover why certain poems dealing with social themes are

better than others.

The second section is concerned with the tools Frost employs to bring his relationship with his environ~ent into focus -- with special reference to his modified traditionalism Chapter V examines the root of I"ros t t s humour? and explains the co-existence of humour and. seriousness in his poetry. Chapter VI discusses his experiment with the colloquial idiom, and. the extent to which he h~~,;'1 abandoned the traditional in the practice of his craft. The final chapter is an analysis of the )Bstoral element in Frost's poetry. It concludes

that a unity of OPPosltes is achieved within the framework

of a pastoral that is both modern and Americun.