The Art of Robert Frost

by Tim Kendall

A wonderfully accessible guide to the transcendent poetry of one of America's favorite poets

Widely revered during his lifetime, Robert Frost continues to enchant readers today, nearly a century after the publication of his first volume of poems, A Boy's Will . This book presents a splendid selection of sixty-five poems from across Frost's writing career, beginning in the 1890s and ending with "Directive" from the 1940s. Tim Kendall offers a detailed account of each poem, enabling readers to follow the journey which Frost himself recognized in all great "It begins in delight and ends in wisdom." In addition to close readings of the poems, The Art of Robert Frost traces the development of Frost's writing career and relevant aspects of his life. The book also assesses the particular nature of the poet's style, how it changes over time, and how it relates to the works of contemporary poets and movements, including Modernism. The first book on Frost to combine selected poems with a critical study, this appealing volume will be welcome on the shelves of scholars, students, and all other readers who love fine poetry.

Genres: Poetry, Literary Criticism, Criticism, Nonfiction

408 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2012

Reviews

[Dylan Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

The extent of Frost’s technical mastery is what made the greatest impression on me, even when I wasn’t “enjoying” the poems as much. Personally, I’m not so much a fan of the early lyrical, dialogue heavy poems as I am of the hard hitting, concise wording of his later work. But Birches is a stone cold banger, no doubt about that. In every poem he’s subverting some previous structure to make it his own, and I quite like his analogy that poetry without form is like playing tennis without the net. A good intro to his work.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have all read "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", "Birches", and "The Road Not Taken", but this book goes into a lot of what we missed in our readings of these poems. The book covers several dozen of Frost's poems in rough chronological order, along with general discussion of the different books in which the poems were published. Each poem included in the text is followed by several pages of text that explores the poetics of the poem, the themes of the poem, what different critics have made of the poem, and where the author differs from those critics. There were numerous instances where I found myself in disagreement with the analysis provided by the author, but none where his scholarship was in doubt.

One of the author's favorite words appears to be "ulteriority", which he uses to indicate how Frost frequently leaves his meanings obscured from view. This is one of the chief benefits of this book: learning how Frost alludes to his real themes in surprising ways.

Another benefit of this book is a new (for me) appreciation for Frost's relationship with nature, for his keen sense of human nature, and also for his sense of inter-personal boundaries. Frost also has a very interesting ability to leaves things in his poems unresolved, while still expressing wonder of things ultimately ineffable.

[The American Conservative]

'Frost’s best poems, according to Kendall, have at least two meanings—a “particular” and an “ulterior” one. This may be true of all art, but great artists are those whose “particular” meaning is expressed so well that readers, as Frost is reported to have said, “might feel free to settle for that part of the poem as sufficient in itself.”

Yet too many readers have settled for the well-said particular meaning of Frost’s poems. In this uniquely formatted book, in which 64 of Frost’s best poems are reprinted in full and commented on at length by Kendall, the author reads Frost for us, showing us—if not always convincingly—Frost’s artistry.'


Read the full review, "How to Read Robert Frost," on our website: http://www.theamericanconservative.co...

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable approach to selections of Frost's work:
7 poems from "A Boy's Will"
17 poems from "North of Boston"
16 poems from "Mountain Interval"
14 (15 if you separate the two witches) poems from "New Hampshire"
10 of the finest "Later Poems"

Kendall weaves the personality, poetic wisdom of Frost into thoughtful commentary on the crafting of poetry.
First and last poems, commentary on sonnets, influences of Wordsworth, Shelley, Catullus, slip into an examination of the complexity of Frost's work.

All the fun is in how you say a thing -- indeed -- the wit of saying one thing and meaning another--
accessible to all sorts and kinds and audiences.

[Robert G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about the work of Robert Frost, my favorite poet. The format of presenting a poem followed by the authors discussion was very engaging. In almost every case I enthusiastically began a spirited discussion, usually a verbal one, with the author before reminding myself that he could not hear me. Not disagreements or arguments, just a thirst for more. This is the beauty and power of poetry, a new canvas is painted with each reading

Their will probably never be a finish date as the book is not shelved in my physical library but remains beside my favorite reading spot for frequent visits.

Thanks so much Mr. Kendall.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

High quality close reading and analysis. Wonderfully, all the selected poems are printed in their entirety before the commentary, so it works as an anthology and you have the text right there if you want to flip back and forth.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start here if you're new to Frost, like I was. Kendall really breaks it down for the common Joe.
I wuld read the poem twice, then read author'scommentary, then rreread if necessary. No snobbish commentaries here. Frost was a genius.

[Daniel Suhajda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t understand poetry so this book was great because it explained the poems right after I read them. Then 8 would go back and read them and understand a little more.

[Mattia Ravasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very useful guide to some of the most celebrated poems of the most deceivingly "easy" of poets. Some interpretations are more useful than others and sometimes you get that feeling English Majors know so well, "oh gee I really liked this poem before I knew what it was about;" that said, it's overall a great companion.