-Robert Frost
Text:
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Summary:
"A Roadside Stand" by Robert Frost is a poem which sympathises with the people of the countryside.It presents the lives of poor deprived people with pitiless clarity and shows how living in the countryside has resulted in deprivation of various amenities which people in the urban spheres have indulged long back.The poem describes the misery these people have been undergoing.The city people who drive through the countryside hardly stop at the roadside and if they even do,they do criticise them and people working in them.
Stanza-1:(The little old house....marred with the artless paint.)
The first stanza describes how there was a small house with a new shed outside it.The road was busy with cars and various other vehicles moving here and there.The newly-built shed was built to display items on sale and the owner was expecting that the passers-by and the 'sparkling' cars will stop by and buy his commodities or at least have a look on them.The condition of the shed aroused one's pity because it exbhited the disappointing feelings of the owner who was on the run to make some money.These people in the roadside stands don't seek any kind of favour from the city dwellers rather wanted some money in exchange of the things they are selling.Their money can help these countryside people and their families lead s better life than ever.The passers-by and cars are always new and sparkling clean but they don't pay much attention to the shed.The cars only think of their destination.And,by if any chance,they do stop by,they just complain that these sheds and huts are shabbily painted and contribute to the landscape being spoiled.
Stanza-2:(Of signs that with.... wouldn't be my complaint.)
Here,the poet describes that the people living in these sheds and rural spheres are poor and deprived of many amenities the city people indulge in.Their surroundings are not well-maintained.The poet also says signbaords which are pointing North and South directions wrong.The sheds offer various kinds of farm produce such as wild berries,golden squash with silver marks on it.The place is beautiful, according to the poet,and people should actually stop by here and enjoy the landscape of the mountains and countryside.The poet says that if they have the money then they should buy something from the sheds but if they are selfish then they should keep their money with themselves and not stop there.The poet says that he doesn't complain and the sheds have spoiled the scenery of the place.
Stanza-3:(So much as the....be keeping from us.)
In this stanza,the poet says that these countryside folks who have opened a shed have been keeping trust on a promise which was unsaid and never done to them.The poet means by 'promise' is that these fellows expect that the cars passing by these sheds will stop and buy something from them.Their sheds are built far from the city and they expect that some money will flow from the pockets of these city dwellers into the hands of the shed owners.The shed owners are also desperate to make some money from the sale of their farm produce.As they see in pictures and books,they have laid their trust on these ideals such as person who immensely hard achieves quick success and money.The poet adds that the political party in power has stopped the flow of cash and fulfilled their promises.
Stanza-4:(It is in the news....at night the ancient way.)
It is in this stanza that the poet reveals that very soon all these sheds and huts will soon be bought by the government and the people living in these places will be relocated to new places.They are made big promises which they have never imagined in their lives such as having movie theatres and grocery stores near their new location.These people from the rural spheres will not be anymore unhappy or worry about their future.However,the poet actually unveils the malicious intentions these people who are trying to put up a show that they are doing good deeds but in reality are destroying these people's lives and only looking for their own personal benefit.Nothing is done for these poor folks of the countryside.The poet has called these politicians and affluent people as "greedy good-doers" and "beneficent beasts" because of the very same reason.In reality,they are presenting these helpless people with all these benefits and perks which is actually a part of the bigger plan where these people are put in a confusion.They tell these poverty-stricken people to sleep at nights without any worry and themselves sleep all-day and night long.Ironically,these people are the ones who are actually responsible for many sleepless nights of these shedowners.
Stanza-5:(Sometimes I feel myself...none,didn't it see?)
In this part of the poem,the poet is of the opinion that the childish desire in the hearts of these owners is useless.He just cannot watch the disappointed faces which they make when they open the window of the shed waiting for a car to stop by and buy something.Their whole day is wasted just by waiting there and it seems as if they are desperately praying to God that somebody would stop and buy their goods.They want the vehicles to put on their brakes and want to hear a car stop by.The poet thinks that all these cars which go on without paying any heed to store owners and their sheds,they are deemed as selfish.They are in the perpetual hope that someone might stop and atleast inquire about the price of the farm produce.One car finally stops there but their hope was short-lived as it was only there to take a turn around.Similiarly,some other cars also stop to ask for directions or buy fuel for their locomotives.The poet is fed up at this ignorance of the car riders as he opines that these people don't merely understand that these shed owners just cannot afford to sell fuel.
Stanza-6:(No,in country money....out of my pain.)
In this last stanza of the poem,the poet presents his final verdict where he opines that the kind of work these people do and the various commodities these people sell,it is next to impossible to uplift the conditions of these people.They don't have much access to resources which cannot get rid of them their disappointing conditions.They are surving in such a condition where they require a solution which would solve all their solutions in one go.And,as realistic as it may seem,perhaps only death is the only way to get rid of all their issues.The poet thinks that everything is doomed for these people.
Rhyme Scheme:
abab
Difficult Words:
1)Dole of Bread:A tiny portion of bread.
2)Marred:Spoilt.
3) Squash:(Here)A fruit.
4)Warts:A small growth on the outer surface.
5)Crossly:In an annoyed or angry way.
6)Beneficent: Generous or doing good.
7)Beasts of Prey:An animal killing other animal.
8)Out of their wits:In a perplexed or terrified state.
9)Lurk:To remain hidden in order to attack someone.
10)Plow:Move in a fast or uncontrolled manner.
11)Requisite: Required.
12)Sane:Sensible.
Literary Devices:
1)Transferred Epithet:a)Polished Traffic b)Selfish Cars.
2)Personification:a)A roadside stand that too pathetically pled.
3)Metaphor:a)Trusting Sorrow
4)Oxymoron & Alliteration:a)Greedy good-doers. b)Beneficent Beats of Prey.
About Author:
Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) was an American poet.Known for his realistic depictions of rural life,he was honored frequently during his lifetime and is the only poet to receive four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
NCERT Questions:
Think it Out
1)The lines in the poem which indicate the above are as follows:
"The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,or if ever aside a moment,then out of sorts,At having the landscape marred with the artless paint."
•The city dwellers constantly complained about the fact that these sheds which are having shabbily painted walls has completely spoiled the beauty of the landscape.
2)The shed owners pled for the flow of cash from the pockets of city dwellers into their hands so that they can also lead a better life and also make good use of the money.They want to feel the money on their hands.They desperately needed the money as the lines in the poem also indicate that they even prayed for it.
3)The words which is used by the poet to unveil their reality is all the words in the 3rd stanza such as "Greedy Good-doers" and "Beneficent Beasts of Prey" because the politicians and rich people who seemingly help these shed owners are actually trying to benefit from them.
4)The "Childish longing" that the poet refers to is the desire of the shed owners that some cars will stop to buy something or at least enquire the prices of the farmer's produce.This desire remains unfulfilled because it is a futile exercise as car stops by and by keeping the window open,the effort is wasted.
5)These lines from the poem describes the poet's feelings for the shed owners: "I cannot help owning the great relief it would be,To put these people are one stroke out of their pain".
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