MP Board Class 9 English Beehive The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost (Poetry)
| English Word/Phrase | Hindi Meaning |
|---|---|
| diverged | अलग-अलग हो गए |
| yellow wood | पीला जंगल (पतझड़ का संकेत) |
| undergrowth | झाड़ियाँ / झाड़ीदार क्षेत्र |
| fair | सुंदर / अच्छा |
| grassy | घास से भरा |
| wanted wear | कम उपयोग किया गया |
| passing | गुजरना |
| trodden | रौंदा गया |
| kept | रखा गया |
| way leads on to way | रास्ता रास्ते से जुड़ता है |
| hence | आगे चलकर / भविष्य में |
| sigh | आह / लंबी सांस |
| less traveled | कम चला गया रास्ता |
| made all the difference | पूरी तरह से बदलाव ला दिया |
I. Poem Overview and Notes
A. कवि के बारे में: रॉबर्ट फ्रॉस्ट (About the Poet: Robert Frost)
रॉबर्ट फ्रॉस्ट (1874-1963) एक अमेरिकी कवि थे जो ग्रामीण जीवन के अपने यथार्थवादी चित्रण (realistic depictions) और अमेरिकी बोलचाल की भाषा (American colloquial speech) पर अपनी पकड़ के लिए व्यापक रूप से प्रशंसित थे। उनके काम में अक्सर प्रकृति, व्यक्तिवाद (individualism) और मानवीय पसंद की जटिलताओं (complexities of human choice) जैसे विषयों की पड़ताल की जाती थी। “द रोड नॉट टेकन” उनकी सबसे प्रसिद्ध और अक्सर गलत समझी जाने वाली कविताओं में से एक है।
B. कविता का सारांश (Summary of the Poem)
“द रोड नॉट टेकन” में वक्ता (speaker) के अनुभव का वर्णन है, जिसमें वह एक पीले जंगल (yellow wood) में एक मोड़ पर खड़ा है, यह सोच रहा है कि कौन सा रास्ता चुना जाए। दोनों रास्ते समान रूप से घिसे हुए (equally worn) और आकर्षक (inviting) लगते हैं। कुछ विचार-विमर्श (deliberation) के बाद, वक्ता वह रास्ता चुनता है “जो कम चला गया था” (less traveled by), यह मानते हुए कि इससे “सारा अंतर पड़ जाएगा” (all the difference)। हालाँकि कविता सूक्ष्मता से (subtly) बताती है कि दोनों रास्ते वास्तव में काफी समान थे, और वक्ता शायद अपनी पसंद को पूर्वव्यापी (in retrospect) रूप से रोमांटिक बना रहा हो। कविता पसंद, पछतावे और निर्णयों को तर्कसंगत बनाने (rationalize decisions) की मानवीय प्रवृत्ति की प्रकृति में गहराई से उतरती है।
C. मुख्य विषय (Themes)
- चुनाव और निर्णय लेना (Choice and Decision-Making): केंद्रीय विषय हमारे जीवन में किए गए चुनाव और उनकी अपरिवर्तनीय प्रकृति (irreversible nature) के इर्द-गिर्द घूमता है।
- व्यक्तिवाद बनाम अनुरूपता (Individualism vs. Conformity): वक्ता का “कम यात्रा वाला” रास्ता लेने का दावा व्यक्तिवाद की इच्छा का सुझाव देता है, हालांकि कविता इस दावे की अस्पष्टता (ambiguity) की ओर इशारा करती है।
- पछतावा और आत्म-चिंतन (Regret and Reflection): कविता में आत्म-चिंतन का एक अंतर्निहित स्वर (underlying tone) है, जो इस बात की ओर इशारा करता है कि हम पिछले निर्णयों को कैसे देखते हैं और शायद उनके चारों ओर कथाएँ (narratives) बनाते हैं।
- जीवन का मार्ग (The Path of Life): अलग-अलग रास्ते किसी के जीवन की विभिन्न दिशाओं का प्रतीक (symbolize) हैं।
- अस्पष्टता (Ambiguity): एक महत्वपूर्ण विषय पसंद की अस्पष्टता है – क्या रास्ते वास्तव में अलग थे, या वक्ता की धारणा ने उन्हें ऐसा बना दिया?
D. काव्यगत उपकरण (Literary Devices)
- छंद योजना (Rhyme Scheme): कविता प्रत्येक पद (stanza) में ABAAB छंद योजना का पालन करती है।
- उदाहरण: “wood (A), both (B), stood (A), could (A), undergrowth (B)”
- रूपक (Metaphor): पूरी कविता जीवन की यात्रा और सामने आने वाले विकल्पों के लिए एक रूपक है। “सड़कें” (roads) विभिन्न जीवन पथों या निर्णयों का प्रतिनिधित्व करती हैं।
- प्रतीकवाद (Symbolism):
- दो रास्ते (Two Roads): जीवन में अलग-अलग विकल्पों या अवसरों का प्रतीक।
- पीला जंगल (Yellow Wood): शरद ऋतु (autumn) का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है, परिवर्तन और परिपक्वता (maturity) का मौसम, जो जीवन में एक ऐसे बिंदु का सुझाव देता है जहां महत्वपूर्ण निर्णय लिए जाते हैं। यह भी बताता है कि निर्णय जीवन के एक परिपक्व चरण में लिया जा रहा है।
- “कम यात्रा वाला” (Less traveled by): एक अद्वितीय या अपरंपरागत पसंद (unconventional choice) का प्रतीक है, हालांकि कविता सवाल करती है कि क्या यह वास्तव में ऐसा था।
- अनुप्रास (Alliteration): शब्दों की शुरुआत में व्यंजन ध्वनियों (consonant sounds) की पुनरावृत्ति।
- उदाहरण: “Wanted wear” (पद 2), “first for” (पद 3)
- पुनरावृत्ति (Repetition): वाक्यांश “And that has made all the difference” (और इससे सारा अंतर पड़ गया है) थोड़े बदलाव के साथ दोहराया जाता है, जो वक्ता द्वारा अपनी पसंद को दिए गए महत्व पर जोर देता है।
II. कविता की मूल अवधारणा (Basic Contents of the Poetry / Key Ideas)
“द रोड नॉट टेकन” जरूरी नहीं कि एक अपरंपरागत पसंद का जश्न मनाने के बारे में हो, बल्कि चुनने के कार्य और समय के साथ हम उन विकल्पों को कैसे देखते हैं इसके बारे में है। मुख्य संदेश यह है कि जीवन निर्णयों से भरा है और एक बार जब एक रास्ता चुन लिया जाता है तो दूसरा आमतौर पर हमेशा के लिए खो जाता है। वक्ता का यह दावा कि उसने “कम यात्रा वाला” रास्ता लिया और इससे “सारा अंतर पड़ गया” एक भविष्य के आत्म-चिंतन (future reflection) के रूप में प्रस्तुत किया गया है, संभवतः एक आत्म-औचित्य कथा (self-justifying narrative) के रूप में, न कि निर्णय के क्षण में एक वस्तुनिष्ठ सत्य (objective truth) के रूप में। कविता पिछली पसंदों को देखने और उन्हें महत्व देने की मानवीय प्रवृत्ति पर प्रकाश डालती है, अक्सर उन्हें रोमांटिक बनाती है। यह बताती है कि कभी-कभी, रास्तों के बीच का अंतर रास्तों के बारे में कम और उस कथा (narrative) के बारे में अधिक होता है जिसे हम अपने निर्णय के इर्द-गिर्द बनाते हैं।
The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost (Poetry)
III. Short Answer Type Questions
Qn. 1: What does the poet mean by ‘two roads’ in the poem?
Answer: In the poem, ‘two roads’ symbolize the diverging choices or opportunities that one encounters in life’s journey. They represent different paths or decisions that a person must make knowing that choosing one means leaving the other behind.
Qn. 2: In which season did the poet see the roads? What is the significance of this season?
Answer: The poet saw the roads in autumn, indicated by the “yellow wood.” This season is significant as it represents change, maturity and a crucial point in life where one must make important decisions that will shape their future.
Qn. 3 : Which road did the poet choose and why?
Answer: The poet chose the road that he perceived as “less traveled by,” believing it had “perhaps the better claim” because it was “grassy and wanted wear.” He chose it with the hope that it would make “all the difference” in his life.
Qn. 4 : What is the meaning of the line “And that has made all the difference”?
Answer: This line suggests that the choice made by the speaker, whether objectively different or not, has significantly shaped his life and identity. It implies a retrospective reflection where the speaker attributes all the outcomes of his life to that single decision at the crossroads.
Qn. 5 : What feeling does the poet express at the end of the poem?
Answer: At the end of the poem, the poet expresses a feeling of reflection and a subtle sense of ambiguity. While he claims his choice made “all the difference,” there’s a hint that he might be romanticizing or rationalizing his decision in the future, rather than stating an absolute truth about the paths themselves.
Qn. 6 : Does the poet have any regret about the path he chose? Support your answer.
Answer: The poem has an ambiguous tone regarding regret. While the speaker states he will tell his story “with a sigh,” it’s not explicitly a sigh of regret but rather one of reflection on the finality of choices. The poem suggests that the speaker might be creating a narrative about his choice, rather than expressing clear regret.
Qn. 7: What is the significance of the ‘yellow wood’ in the poem?
Answer: The ‘yellow wood’ signifies autumn, which is a season of transition and maturity. It represents a point in life where one stands at a crossroads, needing to make a significant decision that will influence the course of their future. It suggests a moment of contemplation and change.
Qn. 8 : Why does the poet feel it is unlikely he will ever come back to take the other road?
Answer: The poet feels it is unlikely he will ever come back to take the other road because he understands that “way leads on to way.” Life’s paths are interconnected; once a choice is made, it typically leads to further choices and experiences, making it difficult, if not impossible, to return to a previous fork in the road.
V. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Qn No. 1 : What does the ‘yellow wood’ primarily symbolize in the poem?
a) A forest in spring
b) A difficult decision in old age
c) A season of change and maturity, representing a crucial point of decision
d) A path leading to a hidden treasure
Answer: c) A season of change and maturity, representing a crucial point of decision
Qn No. 2 : What is the speaker’s main dilemma at the beginning of the poem?
a) He doesn’t know where the roads lead.
b) He cannot travel both roads at the same time.
c) He is lost in the woods.
d) He needs to find a shortcut.
Answer: b) He cannot travel both roads at the same time.
Qn No. 3: Which road does the speaker initially claim to have taken?
a) The one less traveled by
b) The one more frequently used
c) The one that looked easier
d) The one that led straight ahead
Answer: a) The one less traveled by
Qn No. 4 : What does the speaker mean by “And that has made all the difference”?
a) The choice he made was objectively better than the other.
b) The choice he made, whether truly different or not, has shaped his life significantly.
c) He regrets not taking the other road.
d) The difference is that he is now lost.
Answer: b) The choice he made, whether truly different or not, has shaped his life significantly.
Qn No. 5 : What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
a) AABB
b) ABAB
c) ABAAB
d) ABCA
Answer: c) ABAAB
Qn No. 6 : Why does the speaker doubt he will ever come back to take the other road?
a) He knows the roads will disappear.
b) He believes one path leads on to another, making return difficult.
c) He is afraid of the other road.
d) He has no time to return.
Answer: b) He believes one path leads on to another, making return difficult.
Qn No. 7: What figure of speech is primarily used when the roads are described as “diverged in a yellow wood”?
a) Simile
b) Personification
c) Metaphor
d) Hyperbole
Answer: c) Metaphor
Qn No. 8 : What is the underlying tone of the poem’s concluding lines?
a) Joy and triumph
b) Regret and longing
c) Reflection and a touch of ambiguity
d) Confusion and uncertainty
Answer: c) Reflection and a touch of ambiguity
Qn No. 9 : What does the phrase “passing there” refer to in the second stanza?
a) The people walking on the road
b) The act of time passing
c) The wear and tear on the road from being walked upon
d) The wind blowing through the trees
Answer: c) The wear and tear on the road from being walked upon
Qn No. 10: What message does the poem convey about life’s choices?
a) Always choose the path less taken.
b) Every choice, big or small, has a lasting impact on our lives.
c) It’s important to regret past decisions.
d) All paths in life are essentially the same.
Answer: b) Every choice, big or small, has a lasting impact on our lives.
Qn No. 11
Which figure of speech is evident in “grassy and wanted wear”?
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Personification
d) Alliteration
Answer: c) Personification
Qn No. 12: The phrase “two roads diverged” is an example of:
a) Hyperbole
b) Symbolism
c) Onomatopoeia
d) Oxymoron
Answer: b) Symbolism
Qn No. 13: What is the effect of the alliteration in “wanted wear”?
a) It creates a sense of urgency.
b) It emphasizes the desire of the road to be used.
c) It highlights the poet’s regret.
d) It adds a musical quality to the line.
Answer: b) It emphasizes the desire of the road to be used.
Qn No. 14: The “sigh” mentioned by the speaker at the end of the poem suggests:
a) Relief
b) Exhaustion
c) A reflective or perhaps slightly wistful contemplation of the past
d) Disappointment
Answer: c) A reflective or perhaps slightly wistful contemplation of the past
Qn No. 15: The poem primarily deals with the theme of:
a) Travel and adventure
b) The beauty of nature
c) The impact and finality of life’s choices
d) The importance of following the crowd
Answer: c) The impact and finality of life’s choices