American Literature

Question 1: The poem ‘Mending Wall’ seeks to project a close link with nature. Discuss.

Answer:

In the bulk of his poems, Robert Frost employs nature as a metaphor to communicate the inner meaning of his poetry. He begins the majority of his poems with an observation and then applies it to a human scenario. In the poem “Mending Wall,” two individuals are mending a wall separating them in order to maintain their homes in order. Frost’s art has always reflected the human-nature interaction. This poem is the most natural of nature poetry, with descriptions of hills, farmlands, pine forests, and apple orchards providing a backdrop for human activities.The poem stresses the significance and role of people in any natural setting, while also stressing the futility of human attempts that are based on animal instinct.

Once a year, two neighbours join together to repair the stone wall that divides their properties. The narrator is suspicious of this custom, perplexed as to why a wall is necessary when the land is devoid of cattle and just has apples and pine trees. He does not believe that a wall should be constructed for the sake of construction. He cannot help but observe how much the natural world despises the wall: inexplicable holes develop and stones fall for no apparent reason. On the other side, the neighbour maintains that the wall is necessary for their connection, stating that “good fences make good neighbours.” Finally, the wall between the properties does ensure a high-quality interaction between the two neighbours. By separating the plots, the narrator and his neighbour are able to retain their uniqueness and private identity as farmers: one amid apple trees, the other among pine trees. Additionally, the annual process of fixing the wall allows the two men to engage and converse with one another, something that would not be possible in an isolated rural area.

The process of repairing the wall enables the two men to grow their connection and, as a result, the community as a whole far more than they would if they maintained their isolation on separate properties. Frost discusses a force that produces holes in farm walls in the opening four lines. He believes there is an unseen and mysterious person or force that destroys portions of walls: ‘Something there is that does not care about a wall.’One of the poet’s phrases implies that this power is natural. He believes that the damaging power is ice within the earth, which he refers to as ‘the frozen-ground-swell.’

The poet discusses the enigmatic nature of the holes created within the wall in the tenth verse. These gaps are not created by hunters, but occur naturally. The author indicates in the poem’s 24th line that his neighbour grows solely pine, maybe because the neighbour is of the kind who does not believe in cultivating fruit trees. Fruit is associated with pleasure and fulfilment in this context.Within the poem’s 36th stanza, elves imply the presence of an agency beyond human knowledge. Elves are a mythical being that frequently appears in mythology and folk stories.