Stopping by woods on a snowy evening
Comment on the present participle 'Stopping' in the title of the poem.
Shows an ongoing action suggests the speaker is stopping momentarily not staying permanentely. This is emphasis the temporary nature of the stop before continouing on this journey.
Comment on the preposition 'by' in the title.
The word by shows the speaker is close to or near the woods, suggests a sense of distance as hesistation as if he is drawn into the woods but chooses to stay at the edge.
How the horse is personified? Qoute one word in support of your answer.
Giving it a human characteristic of confusion.
The speaker is torn between wanting to stay and needing to leave. Discuss this contrast (dichotomy) by referring to the diction in the poem.
This contrasts highlights his inner conflict between tempation and obligations.
Discuss how the regular rhythm affects the overall atmosphere of the poem.
The regular rhythm is (iambic totmeter) creates a calming and soothing flow mirroring the gentle snowfall and peaceful setting. It also reflects the steady movement of the horse and the passage of time contributing to the quiet reflecting mood.
Identify and explain the effectiveness of the assonane in stanza 3.
The assonance creates a musical qaulity adding to the poem's serene and peaceful atmosphere. The soft, gentle sound of the 'e' vowel echoes the quiet, snowy scene effectively immersing the reader in the tranquil moment.
How does the alliteration in line 9 contribute to the image we have of the horse?
Creates a gentle breathing sound which mirrors the quietness of the scene it also emphasize the horses small and noticeable action showing its awarness.
Refer to line 13. Focus on the diction to explain why the rider chooses to stop by the woods.
The rider choses to stop in the woods as he likes it's darkness and deepness. The woods provides him with a safeness and protection from being percieved , he likes the depth of the woods and loves the peace it brings to him. The nature around him causes him to pause and still.
Discuss the effectiveness of the repetition of the last two lines within the context poem.
He repeating the lines, " and miles to go before I sleep' which suggests both a literal and deeper meaning. It can refrence how he still has a long journey of obligations to complete before his death (the poet's dying currently) or how the rider has a long way to go before he can rest ( a long path to home).
Identify the meter of the poem.
The poem is written iambic tetrometer each line has four iambic feet (an unstressed syllable follow led by or stressed syllable which gives the poem a gentle rythmic flow, flow suitable for calm setting and reflective tone.