'The road’ is the symbol of the choice made by us in life. Many times, we regret the choice made by us, but what is done once cannot be undone. Man yearns for what he has denied himself in life, rather than what he has chosen. Hence, the poet has given his poem the title “The Road Not Taken”. Some critics also call this poem ‘The World Less Traveled’.
Literary Devices/ Figures of Speech/ Poetic Devices Used in the Poem
Alliteration: It is the repetition of usually consonant sounds in a sequence of words. Only when the recurrent sound occurs in a conspicuous position at the beginning of a word or of a stressed syllable within a word. It gives a musical effect and also enhances the poem’s stress.
Symbolism
The two roads described by the poet are the symbols of the challenges and choices that life offers. The beaten track symbolizes the easier path and the less travelled road is a more challenging path. The selection of the difficult road by the poet symbolizes man’s urge to live life boldly.
Word Meanings
- Diverged: went in different directions, separated
- Better claim: preferable
- Equally lay: lying in the same manner
- Yellow wood: the forest turned yellow in autumn,पतझड़ में वन के पेड़ों के पत्ते पीले हो गये
थे - Bent: took a turn, मुड़ी
- Undergrowth: bushes and low trees, झाड़ियाँ तथा छोटे पौधें
- The other: the other road, दूसरी सड़क
- Just: exactly the same, ठीक वैसी ही
- Fair: beautiful,सुन्दर
- About the same: equally, बराबर
- Wanted wear: had not been crushed or worn out under human feet, has not been used and worn so frequently, जो इतनी इस्तेमाल न की गयी हो और घिसी हुई न हो
- Passing: the passing of travellers, यात्रियों का उन सड़कों से गुजरना
- Worn them really about the same: both of them were worn equally or the same,दोनों एक जैसी ही घिसी हुई थीं
- Both: both the roads,दोनों सडकें
- Equally lay: lying in the same manner, ठीक वैसे ही पड़ी थीं
- Trodden: walked on,चला था
- First: the first road, पहली सड़क
- For another day: to be used on any other day, किसी और दिन के प्रयोग के लिये
- Sigh: the deep breath of sorrow, अफसोस की गहरी साँस, आह
- Ages and ages: (after) many years, बहुत सालों बाद
- Hence: from now, अब के बाद |
