Summary of the poem,"Road Not Taken"

Summary of “Road Not Taken”

Line 1-2

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

And sorry I could not travel both "

The poet has come into the deep autumnal wood where two roads have diverged into two ways
like a fork. Immediately the poet understands that as a traveller travelling both the roads is impossible.
Here two roads are meant two ways of life and yellow wood symbolizes the autumnal forest. The poetic
device in the first line is an assonance (roads and yellow). In the first line the two roads are implicitly
compared with the ways of life and there is a sense of regret as he cannot travel both the roads
simultaneously.

Line 3-5

“And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;”

 The poet in utter state of duality and examines both the roads as he finds himself in dilemma about
the choice of roads. At first he looked down the first road to the utmost to check whether it will be
suitable or not. Line 2, 3, 4 are example of Anaphora as the lines begins with the same word. He found
that the first road has bent in the undergrowth, the small plants and bushes. The poet here in regard to
the choice of life considered the word ‘undergrowth’ as unknown world (future) into which he is trying
to peer.

Line 6-8

“Then took the other, as just as fair

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;”

Then the poet decided to check the other road which he found similar to the first one. “As just as
fair” is an example of simile. The poet then found the other road better as the other road was grassy and
less worn out which means it was travelled less. This shows that the poet is risk taking and adventurous.
“Wanted wear “is an example of personification.
Line 9-10

“Though as for that, the passing there

had worn them really about the same, “

But when the poet passed through the road, he found that both the roads are equally travelled. This
is an example of Antithesis because initially the poet finds the first road more travelled one, but then he
considers both the roads to be equally travelled.

Line 11-12

“And both that morning equally lay

in leaves no step had trodden black.”

The poet here goes in the flashback. When he came in the morning, he found that both the roads
were looking same and both of them were covered with autumnal leaves. It was tough for him to
identify the real road as in the morning he was the first person to walk on the roads. But he could not
decide the right one as no step had smashed the leaves on the roads to allow him to go for the right one.
The above two lines are examples of imagery.
Line 13-15

“Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.”

The poet here saves the first road for another day by rationalising his choice of road. He knows the
fact that one way leads to other way and coming back is impossible. Then in the third line he affirms
saying that he is enough doubtful of returning and walking on the first road. The 13th line and 15th the
line are examples of Antithesis as the lines contradict the statements

Line 16-17

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

In this line the poet says he shall be telling about his choice to others either with relief or with
sadness but his choice would definitely create a great impact in his life even after years.
Line 18-20

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

In these lines the poet recalls the beginning of his journey and sums up his entire journey by
affirming that whatever choice he made regarding the road be it right or wrong would definitely leave a
great impact in his life.