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《TheRoadNotTaken》TheRoadNotTakenisapoembyRobertFrost,publishedin1916inthecollectionMountainInterval,itisthefirstpoeminthevolumeandisprintedinitalics.ThetitleisoftenmistakenlygivenasTheRoadLessTraveled,fromthepenultimateline:Itooktheonelesstraveledby.Thepoemhastworecognizedinterpretations;oneisamoreliteralinterpretation,whiletheotherismoreironic.Readersoftenseethepoemliterally,asanexpressionofindividualism.Criticstypicallyviewthepoemasironic.[1]–'TheRoadNotTaken,'perhapsthemostfamousexampleofFrost'sownclaimstoconsciousironyand'thebestexampleinallofAmericanpoetryofawolfinsheep'sclothing.'[2]–andFrosthimselfwarnedYouhavetobecarefulofthatone;it'satrickypoem–verytricky.[3]FrostintendedthepoemasagentlejabathisgreatfriendandfellowpoetEdwardThomaswithwhomheusedtotakewalksthroughtheforest(Thomasalwayscomplainedattheendthattheyshouldhavetakenadifferentpath)andseemedamusedatthiscertaininterpretationofthepoemasinspirational.LiteralinterpretationAccordingtotheliteral(andmorecommon)interpretation,thepoemisinspirational,apaeantoindividualismandnon-conformism.Thepoemconsistsoffourstanzas.Inthefirststanza,thespeakerdescribeshisposition.Hehasbeenoutwalkinginthewoodsandcomestotworoads,andhestandslookingasfardowneachoneashecansee.Hewouldliketotryoutboth,butdoubtshecoulddothat,sothereforehecontinuestolookdowntheroadsforalongtimetryingtomakehisdecisionaboutwhichroadtotake.IronicinterpretationTheironicinterpretation,widelyheldbycritics,[1][5]isthatthepoemisinsteadaboutregretandpersonalmyth-making,rationalizingourdecisions.Inthisinterpretation,thefinaltwolines:Itooktheonelesstraveledby,Andthathasmadeallthedifference.areironic:thechoicemadelittleornodifferenceatall,thespeaker'sprotestationstothecontrary.Thespeakeradmitsinthesecondandthirdstanzasthatbothpathsmaybeequallywornandequallyleaf-covered,anditisonlyinhisfuturerecollectionthathewillcalloneroadlesstraveledby.Thesigh,widelyinterpretedasasighofregret,mightalsobeinterpretedironically:ina1925lettertoCristineYatesofDickson,Tennessee,askingaboutthesigh,Frostreplied:ItwasmyratherprivatejestattheexpenseofthosewhomightthinkIwouldyetlivetobesorryforthewayIhadtakeninlife.Everyoneisatraveler,choosingtheroadstofollowonthemapoftheircontinuousjourney,life.Thereisneverastraightpaththatleavesonewithbutasoledirectioninwhichtohead.RegardlessoftheoriginalmessagethatRobertFrosthadintendedtoconvey,hispoem,TheRoadNotTaken,hasleftitsreaderswithmanydifferentinterpretations.Itisone'spast,presentandtheattitudewithwhichhelooksuponhisfuturethatdeterminestheshadeofthelightthathewillseethepoemin.Inanycasehowever,thispoemclearlydemonstratesFrost'sbeliefthatitistheroadthatonechoosesthatmakeshimthemanwhoheis.AndsorryIcouldnottravelboth...Itisalwaysdifficulttomakeadecisionbecauseitisimpossiblenottowonderabouttheopportunitycost,whatwillbemissedouton.Thereisastrongsenseofregretbeforethechoiceisevenmadeanditliesintheknowledgethatinonelifetime,itisimpossibletotraveldowneverypath.Inanattempttomakeadecision,thetravelerlooksdownoneasfarasIcould.Theroadthatwillbechosenleadstotheunknown,asdoesanychoiceinlife.Asmuchhemaystrainhiseyestoseeasfartheroadstretches,eventuallyitsurpasseshisvisionandhecanneverseewhereitisgoingtolead.Itisthewaythathechoosesherethatsetshimoffonhisjourneyanddecideswhereheisgoing.Thentooktheother,justasfair,andhavingperhapsthebetterclaim.Whatmadeithavethebetterclaimisthatitwasgrasslandwantedwear.Itwassomethingthatwasobviouslynotforeveryonebecauseitseemedthatthemajorityofpeopletooktheotherpaththereforehecallsittheroadlesstraveledby.Thefactthatthetravelertookthispathoverthemorepopular,secureoneindicatesthetypeofpersonalityhehas,onethatdoesnotwanttonecessarilyfollowthecrowdbutdomoreofwhathasneverbeendone,whatisnewanddifferent.Andboththatmorningequallylayinleavesnostephadtroddenblack.Theleaveshadcoveredthegroundandsincethetimetheyhadfallennoonehadyettopassbyonthisroad.PerhapsFrostdoesthisbecauseeachtimeapersoncomestothepointwheretheyhavetomakeachoice,itisnewtothem,somewheretheyhaveneverbeenandtheytendtofeelasthoughnooneelsehadeverbeenthereeither.Ikeptthefirstforanotherday!Thedesiretotraveldownbothpathsisexpressedandisnotunusual,butknowinghowwayleadsontoway,thespeakerofthispoemrealizesthatthedecisionisnotjustatemporaryoneandhedoubtedifIshouldevercomeback.Thisishiscommonsensespeakingandacknowledgingthatwhathechoosesnowwillaffecteveryotherchoicehemakesafterward.Onceyouhaveperformedanactorspokenawordthatcrystallizeswhoyouare,thereisnoturningbackanditcannotbeundone.Onceagainattheendofthepoemtheregrethangsoverthetravelerlikeaheavycloudabouttoburst.Herealizesthatattheendofhislife,somewhereagesandageshence,hewillhaveregretsabouthavingnevergonebackandtravelingdowntheroadshedidnottake.Yetheremainsproudofhisdecisionandherecognizesthatitwasthispaththathechosethatmadehimturnoutthewayandhedidandlivehislifethewayinwhichhelived.Itooktheroadlesstraveledbyandthathadmadeallthedifference.Tothisman,whatwasmostimportant,whatreallymadethedifference,isthathedidwhathewanted,evenifitmeanttakingtheroadlesstraveled.Ifhehadn't,hew