Modernism and Romanticism: Frost and Wordsworth

Modernist literature makes the statement of non-traditionalism in its content and style. The modernist movement began in Europe and moved to the United States in the early twentieth century. The voices of modern idealism speak out against the conformity of the nineteenth century and oppose class distinctions and lifestyles considered politically correct during this time. Religion and what it represents, no longer explicitly drive the content of modernist literature. The chaos created by WWI and WWII helped press writers into independent thought and self-awareness (Rahn). Modernists sometimes view life as being difficult, unfair and pessimistic, focusing on the darker side of life.

Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” follows the ideology associated with modernist views as it communicates the practically of the scene by its simplicity. Though he describes the woods as lovely, the modernist does not add any real sense of beauty nor does he interject any of his own personality about how he feels. He only states what is there, whereas romantics would describe the scene from an emotional viewpoint, and elaborate on personal feelings such as how they felt about the neighbor whose woods these belonged. Frost’s poem, characteristic of Modernism, is written more from a literal perspective.

Although the narrator of the poem appears to be appreciative of the woods, and the beauty of the snow, he realizes it is not practical to stay any longer, perhaps to rest the horse or more importantly himself, but that he must continue before any relaxation can be enjoyed and feels obligated to keep his promise. This is typical of the modernist view that life is thorny and sacrifices must be made. Some of this thought process is touched on a bit in the line “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep” (Frost 1347) as he references darkness. Another aspect of Modernism is the departure from narrating in the third person or having omniscient narrators. Modernist speaks in the first person or they speak with several different voices, and Frost poem does this by writing from a first-person narrative.

Romanticism is a style of literature, art, and music common at the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century that accentuated the importance of personal feelings and nature. Romantics also emphasized mental creativity and connectivity to intuition (Smith). They wanted to move away from the realist views, which were more scientific and based on reasoning, to the view of having faith-based on humanity.

William Wordsworth (We Are Seven), a British poet in the early to mid-nineteenth century, followed this pattern in his poem “She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways.” There are several references to nature in line two of the first stanza, as he mentions “springs of Dove” (Wordsworth 83). This brings to mind the seasonal image of spring, or spring as in water, which is probably more likely since Dove, a smaller more delicate pigeon species, is referenced. Wordsworth implication of the Dove is interesting because he says in the next line that this maid had no one to praise her and no one to love her, connecting Dove to spirituality, because it alludes to the Holy Spirit which ascended on the shoulder of Jesus Christ in the person of a Dove. This is very characteristic of romanticism as it speaks to the soul or to the senses. Wordsworth continues with his strong nature association as he mentions flowers, moss, stars and the sky. Finally, well documented as a characteristic of romanticism, is the emotionalism as displayed in the final stanza, as the narrator expresses his deep sadness “When Lucy ceased to be” (Wordsworth 83).

Frost as a pioneer of modernism (see The Road Not Taken) in American Literature and Wordsworth for his commitment to the ideology of romanticism in European Literature are well respected for their contributions to literature. Each of their philosophies on how to approach living and how it was manifested in their literary works leaves a roadmap for literary students to not only develop their own voice but also leaves historical legacies of their time.

Works Cited

Frost, Robert. “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2012. Print.

Rahn, Josh. “Modernism.” Literature.com n.p., 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.

Smith, D.S. “Characteristics of Romantic Literature.” n.p., n.d. www.odessa.edu. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.

Wordsworth, William. Selected Poems by William Wordsworth. New York: Penguin Group, 2004. Print