The Road Less Traveled By

Thanks man, I chose to speak about this poem from Robert Frost in a exam's oral and I needed a "reception document", in English litterature, your video is perfectly adapted. Thanks a lot.

The poem had a lot more than 3 lines you know. The meaning is much more obvious if you read it.

"The Road Not Taken
BY ROBERT FROST
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

It's cool to be able to come back and recognise your inspiration for Turtles. It's like this video now not only gives me a snippet into your thoughts, but reveals the cogs of Aza's identity.

your persona annoys me

i'm doing this poem for poetry out loud this week!! wish me luckk!!

Robert Frost said he would retell his story with a sigh. That, and he never said the road less traveled was a good idea.
I remember being told that the road less traveled is the better path, but then I got yelled at for doing so.

Damn, so this is Pirates Island?

lol I did not get the sarcasm in Robert's poem either but I kinda interepreted it as if he were saying "choose whichever road feels right to you personally and if that leads to the less travelled road, so be it" xD so, I think I interpreted it as being a piece of advice about making your decision yours and no-one else's. I believe that's what matters, making the decision that feels right to you.

please tell me you don't kayak alone!

So basically the rough road is the better road to take if the road is only used once?

Why does this fucking person talk like this??!!

+vlogbrothers Please bring poems back to the beginning of Dear Hank and John (or you preferred to call it "Dear John and Hank"). I really enjoy the poems.

We can't know better till knowing better is no good.

Not much information at all. But we can still move to different meanings in our lives, right? I'm late but please keep up these points that make me feel like I've had thoughts that could have been good if I put more thought in them.

"and that has made all the difference" - doesn't state whether it's good or bad.

It's "two roads diverged in a wood" not "two roads diverged in a yellow wood". C'mon John!

Thank you

Neither path in the poem was less traveled. They were "worn about the same".

after watching this one video i realized the base of all the decisions of my life since 2015 has been shaken and probably the bravery i was thinking while choosing the future decisions for me is a mere absurd thing now. so my favourite writer just made my life a question mark

Don't follow the road most travelled.

Don't follow the road less travelled.

Dont even follow the road.

Make your own trail.

My high school was named after this poem (the misinterpretation).

I’m going back the way I came

Ever been to ZANZIBA?

We sure do love to live by little snippets of “wisdom “... or common sense (ironically, Good sense is not common, neither is wisdom). Yet, bit of wisdom often comes after taking a wrong turn! I no longer remember the book that had a chapter entitled, “Dare to be average “, but it’s little snippets of wisdom spoke to the realization that you can’t excel at everything and if you avoid the experiences that you would perform at an average level, well, you’ll miss out on most of life’s so-so, yet wonderful and comforting experiences. So, enjoy the everyday things, remember your way home....and every once in awhile be bold and deviate from the expect path.

I believe the poem's message is not so much to mock indecision, but an invitation to leave the comfort zone. As you said, every day in life we make decisions, some are bigger ones than others. Too often are we nervous about leaving the bubble we know, venturing into the unknown. I see the poem as exploring the infinite possibilities that the road less travelled offer. At school I was very timid but forced myself to go towards people and ended up making amazing friends. Reminding ourselves of the power of our choices, that safety is not necessarily the best path.

I really appreciate this.

I LOVE Frost's poetry. Thanks for another take on one of his wonderful word creations.

I want to see a literal fork in the road. How about a whole bunch of silverware? Just to confuse some people.

But there was no less travelled...both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black

The road less traveled: We got those potholes!

Ours Poetica ad!!

his poem did not cause the death of anyone! why say such a thing? and the poet in fact (" ... having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear.... " took this road here quoted from the poem itself. what are you talking about, youngster? ; )))) good grief!!

DANDY LIONS

How is joining the military in World War I the LESS traveled road? - Almost every able-bodied man in Europe HAD to do it!!

Sometimesn thinking there is a misconception is a misconception. Poets, like the rest of us have subconscious thought.

I wonder if the island mentioned is wallet island?

Besides showcasing Frost's genius in words and poetry, The Road Not Taken also demonstrate his understanding of psychology and human behavior. This poem shows Frost's understanding of the following points about how we conduct ourselves in matters related to decision making:

1. Decision making is difficult for most people. We are often confused by the options available to us
2. But in reality the options are often the same even when appear different at the point of choosing

This explains the way Frost started the poem:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not traveled both,
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could,
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was glassy and wanted wear,
Though the passing there,
Would have worn them about the same.

Both that morning equally lay,
In leaves no step had trodden black,

3. We often second guess our choice once we have decided
4. Therefore we often resort to assuring/consoling ourselves by saying we would try the alternative choice somehow
5. We think in this manner knowing full well that there often is no second chance in life

As such, Frost continued:

Oh, I kept the first for another day,
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I shall ever come back.

6. Human beings are adaptable creatures
7. We'll eventually adapt to the resulting condition of the decisions we made in life and make the best of it
8. And finally in retrospect, often many years later, feel vindication and fulfillment in our decisions

This explains the way Frost closed with the final stanza:

I shall be saying this with a sigh,
Somewhere ages and ages hence,
Two roads diverged in a wood,
And I, I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

We can find evidence of Frost's wisdom in every aspect of life today. Take for example a 25-yo college graduate with an engineering degree. The individual may:
1. Join an electronic sector in design and manufacturing. After 20 years of diligent effort and substantial leadership quality, the person becomes the deputy CEO of a semiconductor factory living a comfortable life with his/her loved ones, or
2. Abandon his field of study, join a landscaping company. After 20 years of diligent effort and substantial leadership quality, the person becomes the owner of a reputable landscaping company living a comfortable life with his/her loved ones.

In either case, in retrospect, the gist of Frost's Road Not Taken is applicable.

This is my 2-cents. I look forward to feedback and comment. Thank you.

very nice

Who’s here from english class

Nice

Why's the crash course doing here??

I hate poetry.

I mean, if it wasn't for poetry, Postman Pat would have had a dog.

That would have made much more sense and besides, I'm allergic to cats.

Indianapolis is so american

Slain by the pen

I interpreted this poem as two almost identical paths, but after choosing one, the author is consumed by what could have been and tries to justify their choice.

I apologize for being thirsty I shouldn't have failed. At life b4 I felt thirsty

I think this guy is alcoholic or drug addicted

In Japan it is “choose the most difficult path.”

I'm new here, who's Hank? 😅