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April 12, 2006
What a waste of ink....Frost's "Fire and Ice"
Hughes and Frost -- Jerz: American Lit II (EL 267)
"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 say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice."
I admire Frost's work for the elegant spareness of his language. He says a great deal in very few words. This poem, however? I have read it a number of times in the past. It shows up everywhere. I think it appeals to the more sordid side of our natures. (People like to read about desire.) And every time I have ever read it I have thought to myself that Frost took at least twice as many words as he needed to say what he wanted to say.
So at the start of the poem, we are wondering about the comparative destructive forces of hate and desire. At the end of the poem, we are still wondering. What does this poem actually accomplish? A big fat nothing. In the first half of the poem it seems like Frost is going somewhere with this - taking a stand for the destructive power of desire, as symbolized by ice. But then...wait for it, wait for it...He decides to not actually take a stand. It's not a BAD poem, especially in comparison to most of the drivel pouring out of today's writers. But nowhere else does Frost use so many words to say so very, very little.
Posted by MeganRitter at April 12, 2006 04:37 PM
Comments
Well, his title isn't "Fire OR Ice," so from the get-go he's not promising to take a stand.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at April 12, 2006 04:54 PM
I know. But this poem reminds me of one reporter's description of Warren Harding's speeches...."An army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea." It's not a BAD poem. But it lacks the simple elegance and richness of most of Frost's work.
Posted by: Megan Ritter at April 12, 2006 05:30 PM
I wonder if the rhyme scheme/formal structure are responsible for how you feel about it? It's a very abstract piece, and only gets its meaning from the way the structure balances opposites. I think it's probably critiquing dualistic thinking, in fact. So is the poem good or bad? Neither!
Posted by: Mike Arnzen at April 13, 2006 11:17 AM
The real problem with this poem is the distinct lack of Chuck Norris. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this might be the problem with every poem in the las 200 years.
Posted by: Paul Crossman at May 4, 2006 01:18 AM
All of these are excellent food for thought. I'm beginning to see that Frost may have had a (very elusive) purpose to this poem, but I still think it lacks his usual mastery of language.
Posted by: MeganRitter at May 10, 2006 04:00 PM