Fire and Ice Robert Frost Commentary

‘Fire and Ice’ - Robert Frost
In the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ Robert Frost explains how the world will end by either fire or ice. The poet uses these two primal elements to serve as a metaphor for the destructive powers of the universal human emotions. ‘Desire’ which he associates with fire, and ‘hate’ which he associates with ice. The poet uses the first person singular and concludes that from personal experience he sides with the people who believe the world will end in fire. But, after analysing his experience with hate, he concludes that ice would be equally as destructive. Frost effectively communicates the central focus of the poem which is how desire and hate are equally as powerful in bringing the destruction of the world. Frost uses an irregular rhyme scheme, simple language and a carefree attitude towards these particular destructive forces to signify the importance of how each emotion is equally as destructive. Frost wrote ‘Fire and Ice’ in iambic pentameter, but he does not strictly follow it as the meter is deliberately changed to put emphasis on certain parts of the poem. In the beginning and end of the poem, for example, Frost changes to dimeter, to emphasise the meaning and to engrave those particular two lines in the reader’s mind. This is because Frost wants the reader to reread and really reflect on how desire and hate are equally as destructive. ‘Dimeter’ is a metrical line of verse with two feet, and the fact that this particular meter is a duo is quite interesting because the poet is only focusing on how TWO emotions are equally as powerful. The irregular rhyming scheme is also very important in emphasizing the importance of the two emotions destruction. This is shown when the poet purposely uses words that end in ‘ice’ or ‘ire’, the repetition of these words create an echoing effect which rings in the readers mind to emphasise the elemental quality of desire and hate.