The speaker of “Stopping by Woods” is an anonymous traveler who stops by some woods on their way to some undisclosed location, where they have “promises to keep” (line 14). It’s reasonable to assume that the speaker is male, considering that they are riding alone through a winter landscape at night. However, we can’t be sure about the speaker’s gender, or about their age, class, or racial identity. Perhaps the most illuminating characteristic of the speaker is their sense of hesitation about whether to remain in the snowy woods or continue on their journey. On the one hand, the downy snow that blankets the dark and lovely woods conjures feelings of comfort and calm for the speaker, which lure them into a fantasy of rest. On the other hand, the speaker remains acutely aware of the “promises” they’ve made to someone in some other place, which lures them away from their restful fantasy. Thus, the speaker feels torn between the tranquility of nature and the obligation of society. This choice reflects a yet more fundamental opposition between the hard “miles” of life and the final “sleep” of death. In this sense, the speaker’s weariness from traveling mirrors a deeper world-weariness.

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