FIRE AND ICE
by: Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
My first choice was "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost. The situation presented by Frost is the end of the world. He says that the world will either end in fire, or ice; fire being representative of desire and ice representing hate. Making the situation the end of the world shows that Frost believes these two human emotions are tremendously dangerous, and should be avoided. However, he gives his personal opinion and states, "I hold with those who favor fire". Frost believes that desire is the greater of two evils. By putting these human emotions in a situation involving the end of the world, Frost illuminates what he believes to be the worst that we as humans have to offer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZRSIevoc3c - Fire and Ice lecture on youtube (not long)
sestina: six words
14 years ago
2 comments:
I remember reading this poem before and the many different meanings it represents. Rather than desire and hate I lean more towards love and hate. However, the general idea is more or less the same. Love is stronger than hate and can ultimately be more severe as a weapon. Hatred is almost as strong and can do the same amount of damage. He understands this and he chooses love but knows that he hate will have the same end consequences. Frost gives his ideas of how the world will end but doesn't tell us if he think it will happen at all.
This is a very different form of armageddon poem. I found a different meaning for the duality of fire and ice than Fig. They are meant to emphasize opposites. And the situation of the apocalypse, as Fig stated, is merely Frost's method for showing the extent of these two opposing emotions. I believe that the opposites in Frost's poem are love and hate. The fiery emotion evident in love support this metaphor in the same way as the cold behavior of hate is with ice. I agree with Tommy in that I feel that Frost is trying to convey the destructive force innate to both of these opposite emotions.
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