INTRODUCTION
No, we are not talking about the 'October Morning' in the
Smithsonian American Art Museum, or oil on canvas by Clarice Beckett, also not
the one in the Guildhall Art Library and definitely not the slew of music
albums called by the same name. But we are talking about October by
Robert Frost.
You can read the poem here.
But do that later, first all attention here!
BEFORE MOVING TO ROBERT FROST
Do you belong to that category of English Graduates who have
become all cosy and comfortable with British Literature? Are you experiencing
some kind of trepidation in the crossover? Or does Frost remind you only of 'thewoods are lovely dark and deep ' from the ICSE 10th standard
English reader?
If you fall in any of the three or even just borderline, you
are in the right place.
LET'S DECODE FROST STEP-BY-STEP
Do you want to see how he looks? Look,
but you won't be able to recall his face. I find his works do more justice
to his memory.
Now, as you Google the name, the search result has:
1) Wikipedia
- It
tops the list. Why? Because it's comprehensive.
- The
various categories on the page direct you to earlier experiences that
shaped him as a poet and a writer
- You
can read the themes, the critical response, and cultural influence. On
giving a thorough read, you come to know that the Late Prime Minister of
India Shri Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru kept his poems at his bedside during
the waning years. He was also John F Kennedy's favourite.
- Being
the only poet to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry four times, you
must know what Pulitzer Prize is!
- Now,
before reading about the poem, place the writer against the age. Why? It helps you to understand the fine
borrowings from British Literature.
- Now,
Poetry Foundation is more for a connoisseur of literature and less for a
student.
- You
can read the introduction as an overview of what Wikipedia has written on
Frost.
- There
are no categories, though it is neat in appearance.
- It
has related podcasts, videos, articles, and related collections.
3) Poets.Org
- If
you are looking for a brief biographical summary, start here.
- It's
a sweet place dedicated only to poets. Once you click on the poems to
read, you come across categories such as occasions and themes. It's a plus
compared to the Poetry Foundation.
- If
you have read the early influences on Frost from Wikipedia, you can read
about the poets here too.
- There's
a tie between Poetry Foundation and Poets.org when it comes to only
reading the poem as both of them have a beautiful presentation.
- Where
should I place Britannica? If you are interested in the biographical
details, then follow this order of moving from a pond to a sea:
Poets.org< Poetry Foundation< Britannica< Wikipedia.
- I
find it a happy mix of both Wikipedia and Britannica.
- What
is catchy is the additional information section. It is a minefield.
- You
can also find quotes on varied topics that touch upon human experience. If
you want more quotes then supplement it from robertfrost.org
- What
is NEW POETRY? What does it have to do with Frost?
- Learn
about Bollingen Prize and Dartmouth College.
5) PoemHunter and Biography.com are
good for a schoolgoer. Quick facts from biography.com are
another neat categorization. Robertfrost.org has
a section called fun fact if you are looking for a bit of a break.
RELATED ARTICLES FROM NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER SOURCES
1) After forming a good foundation, read ROBERTFROST: DARKNESS OR LIGHT from the Newyorker.
2) Check the archives on TheNew York Times on Frost.
3) Heard of this? CredoReference
SOURCES ON AMERICAN LITERATURE
1) What is American Literature?
2) Periodsof American Literature