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Fire and Ice. By Robert Frost. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire. I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate. To say that for destruction ice.
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These first few lines describe the disagreement in general society on the topic of how the world ends. In a modern sense, “fire” and “ice” could well be stand-ins for “nuclear disaster” and “climate change.” Frost’s use of “fire” and “ice,” however, is largely a metaphoric decision that opens the poem up to different kinds of interpretation. Ice an...
Here the speaker provides their own opinion — they equate fire with desire, which is to suggest that it is equal with passions, with greed, with rage. Fire is being used as a metaphor for strong, consuming emotions such as desire. It is a fitting analogy— in a candle or a fireplace, fire shows a person the way. It is warmth and light. In the same w...
As a close opposite to the burning desires the speaker sees as being so dangerous, the ice is also a concern in their mind. They believe the world will burn, in one form or the other, and that would end it — but if it didn’t end, and the fire wasn’t enough, the remainder of the poem says, then they believe the ice could manage the feat as well. As ...
1874 –. 1963. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire. I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate. To know that for destruction ice. Is also great. And would suffice. First printed in Harper's Magazine, December 1920.
Learn about the themes, symbols, and poetic devices of Robert Frost's famous poem "Fire and Ice", which explores two apocalyptic scenarios. Find out the poem's context, inspiration, and literary and historical references.
"Fire and Ice" is a short poem by Robert Frost that discusses the end of the world, likening the elemental force of fire with the emotion of desire, and ice with hate. It was first published in December 1920 in Harper's Magazine [1] and was later published in Frost's 1923 Pulitzer Prize -winning book New Hampshire .
- 1920
- Harper's Magazine
- Desire, hate
Dec 1, 2019 · Learn about the meaning and context of Frost's famous poem, which explores the two possible ways the world could end: in fire or in ice. Fire represents desire and passion, while ice represents hate and war.
Learn how Robert Frost combines humor, fury, and form in his poem "Fire and Ice", which explores the question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice. See the poem's summary, form, and analysis with examples and contrasts.
