Term Paper

“STYLISTICS”

Stylistic analysis of poem “Stoping by woods on a

snowy evening”By Robert frost

Supervisor:
Ma’am Shafaq Sabeeh
Students:
Fawad Ali lhr2012
Ali Ammar lhr2006
BS-ENGLISH
National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Lahore, Pakistan.
May, 2022

Stylistic analysis of poem “Stoping by woods on a

snowy evening”By Robert frost

TERMPAPER
Presented to the
Faculty of Language, Literature & Linguistics

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 INTERNAL SUPERVISOR
Ma’am Shafaq Sabeeh

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES LAHORE,

PAKISTAN

ENGLISH LITERATURE AND LINGUISTICS

May 17th, 2022

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the style of Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by
Woods on a Snowy Evening”. A lot of work has been done on this poem in the domain of
literary criticism but very little or almost no comprehensive research has been conducted
yet, to find out the stylistic features. So, the present study focuses on the use of stylistic
devices. Each level has been studied deeply and comprehensively, by looking at the choice
of language at phonetic, phonological, graphitic, semantic and grammatical levels. It has been
concluded that Frost used a number of stylistic devices including cacophony, alliteration,
assonance, tone modulation, denotation, connotation, metaphor, personification, symbolism,
and imagery to highlight the idea of dismay and death. The repetition of certain words and
choice of mental process verbs like think, see, know, and watch leave a significant effect on
the mind of readers. It has also been found that, Frost tried to show the responsibilities and
duties of human on this earth, which everyone has to perform. Furthermore, he portrayed the
short life span of human to perform all these duties, which finally result in state of
depression and anxiety. So, the present study is significant as it will help the reader to
understand the author’s point of view stylistically on linguistic basis rather in the domain of
literary criticism.
Keywords: stylistic analysis, conflict, literary criticism, phonological, graphitic
1. Introduction
According to Leech (1969) style leads to the structure, patterns and arrangement of words to
form sentences in spoken or written form. A number of studies have been conducted to
explore the true intentions of the writer and exact theme of literary text under the domain of
literary criticism (Widdowson, 1975). According to Leech and Short (1981), style is the usage
of vocabulary in a particular situation for a specific aim. They further said that style is a dress
of thoughts and a medium for transportation of thoughts and messages to the readers or
listeners. But style varies from person to person and context to context of the same person
(Whales, 1983). Furthermore, she explains that it is the explanation of the same picture with
the same theme but in different unique ways. So, it is important to study style to comprehend
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the writing of any author. The present study deals with the writing style of Robert Frost in
the poem “Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening”.
stylistic devices as stylistically analyzed one of the Frost’s poem “The Onset” and concluded
that Frost is very unique in using stylistic devices like imagery, simile, metaphor, hyperbole
and sound devices (alliteration, consonants rhyme scheme) to show the theme of virtue and
evil, dismay and hope and life and death in his poems. Beside all of these, a comprehensive
work needs to be done on a broad level to highlight the writer’s message hidden in the text.
The present study analyzes Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening” on five
stylistic levels to unfold the true theme behind this poem.To illustrate the style of Frost in his
poem “Bereft” regarding the different syntactic levels and analyzed that Robert Frost used
different syntactic devices (nouns, adjective, pronouns, rhyming scheme, anaphora, anti-
thesis, imagery… etc.) to explore the theme of passed youth loneliness, conflict of mind,
hope, and unique treatment and nature.

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 Here this study is important as it will compare and contrast the reality of literary criticism and
stylistics on scientific terms.
2. Review of Literature
Stylistics is the study of texts rather than the study of authors which emerged as a sub-
discipline in late 20th century (Freeman, 1971). It explores the reader’s attention while
studying literary texts. Robert Frost is very rich in using stylistic devices. According to
Kaplan (2007) Frost has been observed very frequent in using coordinating conjunctions in
writing poems. Most of Frost’s poems represent his subjective point of view. Sumera, Bari
and Khurram (2014) analyzed Robert Frost Poem “The Road Not Taken” stylistically and
illustrated Frost’s use of stylistic devices at phonetic phonological, graphitic, grammatical and
lexico-syntactic level. Furthermore, they analyzed that Frost has used stylistic components to
create deeper meanings and to clarify the reader’s intentions by using figurative language.
Abdul Bari (2014) pointed out that Frost’s choice of words and phrases is very simple with
the clever use of metaphors, anti-thesis, symbolism, similes and ironical words to create a
deeper impression and strong effect on readers. This creates a complex connection between
intended and ordinary meaning. This ambiguity and mystery in literary criticism can be
understandable in stylistic analysis (Bari & Summara, 2014). So, the present study is an
attempt to find out the stylistic connection between denotative and connotative meaning of
Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening” at five levels of stylistics including
phonetic level, phonological level, graphitic level, grammatical level and lexical/semantic
level.
2.1 Biography of Robert Frost
Robert Frost is known as a major American Poet. He was from San Francisco with mother
Isabelle Moodie and father William Prescott Frost. Frost was eleven, when his father died of
tuberculosis. Frost was interested in writing poetry at Lawrence High School. Later, he
remained in Harvard University, where he couldn’t get his college degree. He married Elinor
Miriam White in 1895. She died in 1938. Frost was unique in writing American Letters. He
was also known as a modern poet; Frost works highlight landscape and traditional life of New
England and he is also known as a regional poet.
2.2 Research Questions
1) What are the stylistic features of Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on Snowy
Evening”?
2) How do those stylistic features contribute to construct the theme of the poem?
3. Methodology
The Researcher has analyzed each word individually and in collocations on the basis of
phonetic, phonological, graphitic, lecxico-syntactic and grammatical level. Each level has
further sub levels to explore the deep meaning of lexis.
3.1 Phonetic and Phonological Level
3.1.1 Euphonic
Frost used euphonic sounds in the poem to create a pleasing effect on the reader’s mind and
used to maintain rhyming scheme with the help of euphonic sounds in words like snow, know
and though.
3.1.2 Cacophony
It is the usage of harsh sounds, which represent certain meanings to explain the author’s point
of view but in the present poem these words like queer, near and hear with ‘r’ sound do not
add any significant meanings.
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3.1.3 Assonance
It is a reiteration of the vowel sound in a verse of poetry. It is used to create a harmonious and
pleasant effect. In the 1st stanza the ‘o’ sound in woods and know, in house and though and in
wood and snow; in the 2nd stanza sound ‘o’ in woods and frozen lake and in the 4th stanza in
woods and lovely and in go and before. Similarly, the repetition of ‘u’ sound in house and
though of the 1st stanza; in without and though of the 2nd stanza. As repetition of ‘a’ sound in
farmhouse and near and in the 2nd stanza of darkest and year. Like in harness and shake and
in easy and flake of the 3rd stanza. And repetition of ‘e’ sound in village and house, see and
here of the 1st stanza while in little, evening and year of the 2nd stanza. Furthermore, in
gives, bells and shake of the 3rd stanza and in lovely, deep, before and sleep of the 4th stanza.
These vowel sounds have been used in a sequence to produce a rhythmic effect in the mind of
reader.

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 3.1.4 Consonance
It is the repetition of consonant sounds within a sentence or phrase. The repetition of ‘g’ in
village and though and repetition of ‘n’ sound in between and frozen lake. Moreover, the
iteration of ‘y’ in easy and downy in the last line of the 3rd stanza. Consonance creates a
melodious affect to the poem and Frost tried to create a lyrical feeling in the poem by using
this stylistic device.
3.1.5 Alliteration
The repetition of the consonant sounds at the beginning of words in the same line of poetry is
called alliteration. As the repetition of ‘w’ in whose and woods in 1st line of 1st stanza and
reiteration of ‘h’ sound in he and harness of in 1st line of 3rd stanza. Furthermore, ‘s’ sound
in sounds and sweep and ‘d’ sound in dark and deep of 1st line in 4th stanza. Frost has used
the tool of alliteration to converge the reader’s attention on the specific situations of snowy
woods and on anxiety of his horse.
3.1.6 Rhyming Scheme
With the extensive use of alliteration and cacophonic sounds the poem shows a unique
rhyming scheme
aababbcbccdcdddd with 16 lines each word having 2 syllables.
3.3 Graphitic Level
Graphitic analysis reveals specific aspects of the poem’s writing style, such as the poem’s
handwriting, traditional writing direction, and usage of a sheet of paper as a surface type with
pencil and ink.

3.4 Lexical Cohesion/Semantic Coherence (on Deep Semantic Level)

Frost’s use of polysemy (Natural layer) is highlighted by his choice of field non-specific phrases
such as “woods,” “sleep,” “snow,” “frozen lake,” and “depth” (Galperin, 1977). Frost also
uses Anglo-Saxon terminology in the last two lines of the fourth stanza, demonstrating his brevity
and accuracy:
And miles to go before I
sleep And miles to go
before I sleep
Before journeying to his last destination, the poet addresses the idea of weighty responsibilities
and tasks in this world to fulfil. In the last two lines of the fourth stanza, Frost employs
anaphora (repetition of the same words at the beginning of phrases) and epiphora (repetition of
words at the conclusion of sentences):
Frost exhibits the skillful use of antonyms in poems like lovely-dark and woods-frozen lake to
underline the concept of death, taking onomasiological perception into account. The poem
uses hyponymy in the onomasiological sense, with the terms snow, dark, and sleep all having
the same contextual meaning of death.
3.5 Denotation in Poem

Woods: an area of land with a dense canopy of trees.

A village is a small town made up of dwellings and other structures located in the countryside.
Snow is atmospheric water vapour that freezes into ice crystals and falls as light white flakes or
as a white covering on the ground.
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Little horse, poor horse
Frozen lake: a lake that has been frozen over.
darkest: when there is little or no light.
Evening: the time at the end of the day, usually between 6 p.m. and bedtime
Downy flake: Soft fine hair or feathers cover the downy granule.
Deep: extending deep below the surface or top
Changed Words.

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 3.5.1 Metaphor
As he says: between the forests and frozen lake, Frost expresses his point of view with deft
use of figurative language. The poet uses metaphor to illustrate the concept of birth to death in
order to emphasize the significance of his presence in those woods.

3.5.2 Personification
In the, 1st line of 2nd stanza the poet says:
My little horse must think it queer
As thinking is a human quality and frost personified it to horse. This is to depict the idea of
strangeness and weirdness.
3.5.3 Symbolism
Frost has used many symbols to explore the intended theme of the poem as follows.
Snow and frozen lake: death and dismay
Dark: complexity and despair
Sleep: death
3.5.4 Imagery
Frost has used many images to transport the idea of dismay, and death with snow, sleep, frozen
lake and woods.

3.5.5 Grammatical Level

Frost frequently uses the first person pronoun 1 and mine in the poem, demonstrating Frost’s
intimate participation with his own life experiences. He frequently utilizes the third person
pronouns he and his to emphasize God’s supreme might.
Furthermore, Frost has used 16 nouns; woods, house, village, harness, snow, horse, farmhouse,
evening, year, bell, mistake, wind, flake, promise and sleep. Frost uses these nouns tactfully to
display the different images and symbols.
Moreover, Frost has used twelve verbs; think, know, see, watch, fill up, stop, gives, shake, ask,
go, keep, and sweep. Some verbs like think and know are mental cognitive as these show inner
experience; see and watch are behavioral process verbs as they show the outer manifestation
of the inner workings; stop, gives, shake, fill up, go, keep and sweep are material process
verbs as they belong to doing and happening process and at the end he has used ask which is a
verbal process verb to show human consciousness, enacted in form of language (Halliday,
1967).
Frost used little, queer, near, downy, lonely, dark, and deep as adjectives to create a strong
effect on readers to emphasize on intended themes in the poem.
3.6 Analysis of Poem
“Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening” is a lyrical poem with 16 lines, each word with 2
syllables.
The poem is divided into four stanzas, with the same rhyming system in the first three and
a different one in the fourth, as Leach (1969) claims that using the same rhyme scheme
throughout the poem makes it uninteresting and unpleasant. The poem is simple to
understand, using simple terminology and a great use of brevity that produces a sense of
laughter. Because common language does not serve those purposes of efficacy, Frost
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maintains a distance between simple, poetic, and common language. The laws of poetic
language differ from those of common language, according to Leach (1969). The poet
begins the poem with a query, which immediately draws the reader’s attention. At the start
of the poem, the poet appears befuddled.
He appears to be in search of solutions, therefore he began to describe the concepts of
dismay, unhappiness, strangeness, and despair, employing stylistic methods such as
cacophony, alliteration, assonance, and other figures of speech. Frost’s poem contains a
universal theme: life and death are continual processes in which humans have a limited
amount of time to contribute to the world.

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Conclusion
The Stylistic analysis of the current poem, explores that poem is designed very tactfully,
where narrator stops on his way in woods to watch snow falling. Frost has used a combination
of different stylistic devices to make this poem a lyrical one. Semantically, Frost used 108-
word tokens and 74-word types. The difference in type token ratio shows that certain words
are repeated many times like “the” for 7 times to make certain ideas and objects significant in
the poem. “And” has been used for 5 times to express the abundance of thoughts in writer’s
mind. The atmosphere of poem seems very terrible, even horse is impatient to go from that
sight and shakes his harness bell. The poem's entire setting evokes feelings of bemusement,
sorrow, and, eventually, death. The poet has utilized four mental verbs to show that something
is going on in the narrator’s mind: think, see, know, and watch, as well as abstract material
process verbs. After a thorough examination of the poem, we may infer that it is dismay,
despair, depression, and worry that even the horse perceives as odd, but human beings have
promises to keep, which they must keep despite their melancholy and anxiety.

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