Interpreting the Misinterpreted-The Lost Road

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost published in 1916 is regarded as one of the most reader proof, if not critic-proof poem of English literature since time immemorial. Even after a century since its composition, its signature phrases are ubiquitous and applicable in almost all dimensions of human life, be it graduation speeches or coffee mugs, TV commercials or high-school syllabus. This poem has surpassed all parameters of fame and acceptance so much so that it becomes almost possible to forget that this poem is actually a poem. Frost once claimed his goal as a poet was ‘… to lodge a few poems where they will be hard to get rid of’; with The Road Not Taken, he appears to have lodged his lines in granite. What would come as a surprise through this paper is the fact that this poem has been MISINTERPRETED by almost every reader for the historical context to this poem is absolutely in contrast to the one which we have interpreted for long. This paper also attempts to put before the reader various perspectives through which one could minutely analyse the subtlety of this poem.