Robert Frosts Wind And Window Flower

The Wind And Window Flower, by Robert Frost, can be read on both the literal and symbolic level. On one hand this is a story of windy winter day. Of a window flower and a winter breeze. On the other hand, this is a story of heartbreak and unrequited love.

A story of a man who falls in love with a woman who is to different from himself and has his heart broken when she will not return his love.

The story begins with the narrator telling us to forget about our own love and listen to his story of love between a window flower and a winter breeze.

The noon day sun has melted the frost from the window and we see the window flower, with a yellow bird singing in a cage above her. The winter breeze is blowing and then dies down, only to pick up again at night fall. The breeze, like winter, is cold, lonely, icy and harsh with no warmth at all. The winter breeze blows hard against the window shaking it. Those who are still awake inside notice the window rattling, and the wind blowing. If the breeze could, it would blow through the window, blowing the window flower away. Away from this room with its fire reflected in the mirror, and the glow of the warm stove. Yet no matter how the winter breeze rattles and shakes the sash it can't get inside to the window flower. Unaffected, the window flower just sits there, protected by the window and the warmth of the stove. By morning the winter breeze is gone, blowing elsewhere a hundred miles away.

Symbolically the window flower could be a beautiful young girl who is refined, educated, cultured. She is well taken care and from a world of comfort, and warmth.

As he passes by and sees her through a window and he is struck by her profound beauty. He doesn't stop though, just passes on by, but she has made an impact on him.

He can't get her out of his mind and returns that night to look on her again.

This man is the winter breeze. He comes from a world very different from hers.

He is harsh, cold, uncouth, and uneducated. He knows little of love, or of women.

He returns that night and is seen from inside looking upon her, sighing and enthralled by her beauty. Overcome by these new emotions he tries to get her attention, and convince her to come with him. He loves her! He pleads, "I love you! Please come with me, if you would only love me! " He thinks he sees a ray of hope. Perhaps he is starting to convince her. If he could just win her love he would whisk her away.

He is not good enough for her. He would take her away from her world of comfort and abundance, and she is unable, or unwilling to do this. She shuns him, turning away without explanation. Being inexperienced and knowing little of love, her rejection of him is devastating. He is unable to bear the pain and embarrassment that he before we know it he moves far away where he will never be plagued by the sight of her again.

As you can see the poem Wind And Window Flower is, depending on how you interpret it, a story about a cold windy day and a flower in a window, or a story of lost love, rejection, pain, and humiliation.