IMAGERY AND MUSICAL DEVICES

IN ROBERT FROST’S

FIRE AND ICE

Nadia Mutiara R 13020114120028

ABSTRACTIn this paper, the writer tries to analyze a poem, entitled Fire and Ice by Robert Lee Frost. The purpose is to understand the meaning of the poem and to analyzed the imagery and musical devices in this poem. Theories that used are textual, cotextual, and hypertextual by close reading method. It could be conclude that imagery and musical devices are the important elements stated in this poem.

Keywords: Robert Frost, imagery, musical devices

1. INTRODUCTION According to William Flint Thrall and Addison Hibbard that had been revised and enlarge by C. Hugh Holman in A Handbook To Literature (1960: 364), "Poetry is applied to the many forms in which man has given a rhytmic exppression to his most imaginative and intense preseptions of his world, himself, and the interrelationship of the two.”

Poetry improves critical thinking by forcing a reader to think. Poetry is not just the emotional expression of the poets. In poem, poets try to express ides or feeling. The author use this poem to be analyzed, although simple in meaning, contains some of literary elements.

2. Methodology To analyze the imagery in the poem To analyze the musical devices in the poem

3. Research objectThe objects of research are sorted into a material and formal object.

The poet Robert Lee Frost was born in San Francisco, California, to journalist William Prescott Frost, Jr., and Isabelle Moodie. His mother was of Scottish descent, and his father descended from Nicholas Frost of Tiverton, Devon, England, who had sailed to New Hampshire in 1634 on the Wolfrana. After his father's death in May 5, 1885, in due time the family moved across the country to Lawrence, Massachusetts under the patronage of (Robert's grandfather) William Frost, Sr., who was an overseer at a New England mill. Frost graduated from Lawrence High School in 1892. Frost was 86 when he spoke and performed a reading of his poetry at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy on January 20, 1961. Some two years later, on January 29, 1963, he died, in Boston, of complications from prostate surgery. He was buried at the Old Bennington Cemetery in Bennington, Vermont. He is surmising the fate of the world what would cause it to end. He likens the causes to the imperfections in human nature, and not just plain physics. He dwells on two causes that are believed to end the world - fire or ice. Here, fire is symbolic of human desire or passion, and ice is symbolic of hatred.

THE POEMFire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desireI hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,I think I know enough of hateTo say that for destruction ice

Is also greatAnd would suffice

 Robert Frost (1874-1938)

imagery Stanza 1 line 1

Some say the world will end in fire,This line contains two imageries. The visual imagery here can encourage the readers to think

that when they see fire it seems like very terrible thing. Meanwhile the tactile imagery makes the readers feel that fire is very very hot and dangerous.

Stanza 1 line 2Some say in ice.

The visual imagery with the word ice makes the readers imagine that ice is a very horrible thing too. The tactile imagery makes the readers feel that ice will make them freezing.

Stanza 1 line 3

From what I've tasted of desireThe line contains gustatory imagery because the readers asked to tasted the desire in this

poem that probably Forst tasted.

Stanza 1 line 6

I think I know enough of hate

Organic imagery can be found in this line in the word hate because hate comes naturall from someone's heart.

Stanza 1 line 7

To say that for destruction ice

This line proposes kinesthetic imagery because the readers can assume the word say do a movement or tension about the destruction of ice is also great.

Musical DevicesA. Rhyme

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire, A

Some say in ice. B

From what I've tasted of desire A

I hold with those who favor fire. A

But if it had to perish twice, B

I think I know enough of hate C

To say that for destruction ice BIs also great C

And would suffice B

REFRAINBecause this poem only has one stanza, so the pattern of this poem is ABAABCBCB. Therefore the poem is consider to have refrain in it.

symbolismSymbolism is literary device that contains several layers of meaning. Symbolism can take different forms. Generally, it is an object representing another to give it an entirely different meaning that is much deeper and more significant. Sometimes, however, an action, an event or a word spoken by someone may have a symbolic value.

Stanza 1 line 1 and 2Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

Stanza 1 line 3 and 4

From what I've tasted of desireI hold with those who favor fire.

Stanza 1 line 6 and 9I think I know enough of hateTo say that for destruction ice

Is also greatAnd would suffice

conclusionFire and Ice by Robert Frost is an amazingly beautiful poem about the end of the day whether the world will end in fire or in ice. There are only nine simply worded lines that somehow manage to be both meaningful and cruel. The author explains two sides, good and evil, fire and ice with just the right amount of rhyme. He uses vocabulary that is seemingly light, but makes the words feel dark and heavy to the readers. At this point in the poem the author asks what he would do if he had the chance to start over, Frost makes it clear that he wishes he could “perish twice” or try again. In knowing “enough of hate” Frost figured out that there is another choice, that ice is also a great way to go. With the help of imagery and symbol analysis, it makes Fire and Ice an incredible work of literary art.