The Road Not Taken Class 9 English, Beehive Poem
Detailed summary and explanation of “The Road Not Taken” Poem along with meanings for difficult words is provided here. Also, NCERT Question and Answers are also provided to help students understand this Poem and do well in their exams.
Introduction
In the poem The Road Not Taken’, the poet describes a very common experience of making a choice. He recalls one such choice he made in the past while travelling from the forest. From the two paths that diverged in the forest, the poet chose the one that seemed to him to be less travelled. He states that his choice has had a significant impact in his life. Through this choice, the poet highlights that our choice decides our future. The choices that we make has a huge impact on our future. If we make a wrong choice, we will regret it, but will not be able to go back to change it, So, we must be wise while making choices.
Summary
Stanza 1
The poet has come to a forest in the autumn season when the leaves have turned yellow. The poet reaches a point where the two roads separated into two directions. The roads symbolise the two ways of life. The poet, as a traveller, knew that he had to make a choice as he cannot travel both the roads at the same time. So, he stood there for a long time and looked down on both the roads. The poet looked at the first road and found that it has a bent which was covered with small plants and bushes. Just like the poet, we also take decisions and make choices everyday. Thus, we must analyse the situation to make the Correct choice.
Stanza 2
The poet looked at the other road and decided to travel by it. According to him this road seemed better and more impressive as if was covered with grass. It was not walked over by many people. However, as the poet walked on the road for some distance he realised that both the roads have been walked Over equally. The poet chooses the road , that is career, that appears to be less travelled or pursued. He thinks that it has a better claim because it is grassy and needs to be walked on.
Stanza 3
The poet now says that both the roads were similar on that morning as no one has travelled on any of the roads. The leaves were still green and fresh as they have not been crushed by anyone while walking. The poet decides to travel the second road and kept the first one for some other day. However, the poet had a doubt if he could ever come back again to walk on the first road. As the poet knew that once he made a choice, he move and take many more decisions and would not be able to come back to change his choice.
Stanza 4
In these lines, the poet talks about the consequences of the choice. The poet states that sometime in future, he will remember the day he made the choice. He would be telling about his decision with a sigh either with relief or regret ( relief of making the right choice or regret of making the wrong choice).He would tell that from the two roads that went into the forest, he took the less travelled one and the choice had made a significant impact on his life.
Extra Questions
(1) How did the poet make his choice about the roads?
(2) What was the poet’s opinion about both the roads in the poem?
(3) Did the poet make his choice without thinking?
(4) What was the condition of the two roads?
(5) The poet says ” I kept the first for another day ” Was the poet sure of coming back to that road someday?
(6) Why did the poet feel sorry and stand long?
(7) Was the poet sure of coming back to that road?
(8) Why does a poet tell his story with a sigh?
(9) Do you think the poet would happy if he had travelled on the first road?
(10) Describe the poet’s feeling when he stood at a road crossing one autumn ?
(11) The road not taken involves a moral dilemma about choice in life as the roads symbolise different options? Discuss the statement?
(12) Making choices can make or mar your future? What do you learn from this statement? Discuss with reference to the poem?
(13) What is the significance of the fact that the road bent in the undergrowth?
(14) The poet takes a long time to make his decision? What is he thinking about?
(15) Explain ” Way leads on to way”
(16) “I took the one less travelled by , and that has made all the difference”. What is the speaker saying here?
(17) The road not take is a metaphor of life? Justify this statement?
(18) What do the two roads represent?
(19) Bring out the contrast and similarities between the two roads mentioned in the poem?
(20) What is the difference between the two roads in the beginning of the poem and at the end ?
(21) What does the poet mean by” leaves no step had trodden black”?
(22) When you face a difficult choice between two alternatives, how do you decide one or the other?
Word Meaning |
|
| Diverged | separated |
| Yellow wood | the leaves on the trees are yellow, suggesting it is the autumn season |
| Undergrowth | dense growth of plants and bushes |
| Wanted wear | looks less worn out or used |
| Trodden black | turned the path black by crushing leaves. |
| Sigh | A long deep breath either relief or satisfaction or regret. |
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