“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
- Describe the speaker in the poem.
- What is the poem’s central tension, conflict, or paradox? What is the theme of the poem?
- Identify the structural divisions of the poem. Does the poem follow a formal structure? If so, what is it? If not, what form does the structure take? How does the structure contribute to the theme or tension?
- Identify the rhyme scheme. Do the rhymes contribute to the poem’s meaning, tension, or theme?
- Identify the meter. Does the meter contribute to the poem’s meaning, tension, or theme?
- In addition to rhythm and rhyme, how do the other sounds of the poem affect the theme? Consider rhythm, poetic devices (alliteration, assonance, consonance, etc.), and other elements of the poem.
- Identify allusions or central images in the poem. How do these contribute to the poem’s tension or theme?
- Identify any similes, metaphors, or another figurative language in the poem. How do these contribute to the poem’s tension or theme?
- Examine the poem’s grammar, punctuation, and verb forms or tenses. How do they contribute to the theme of the poem? Consider end stops, enjambments, caesuras, etc.)
- Identify any words or phrases that you feel need further scrutiny.
