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Frost’s Early Poems

This guide offers a broad perspective that places “The Road Not Taken” into the context of Robert Frost’s early poetry. Students of the poem will benefit from an exploration of similar themes across his body of work.

William Styron, Sophie’s Choice

Styron’s novel centers on a Jewish woman named Sophie who is haunted by decisions she made throughout her experience as a prisoner during the Holocaust. Although the stakes of the choices foregrounded in this novel are quite different from those in Frost’s poem, both works share an interest in exploring the psychic and emotional complexities of decision making.

Matthew Arnold, “Dover Beach”

Though written from a distinctly British Victorian perspective, Arnold’s lyric poem shares some interesting aspects with Frost’s. For one thing, both poems depict the thoughts of their speaker as they unfold in time. For another, both speakers reflect on natural scenes to contemplate broader themes related to uncertainty and the human condition.

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