These essay questions are tailored towards A-Level style exams (CIE/Cambridge, AQA, OCR, CCEA, Edexcel, WJEC/Eduqas), but they’re suitable for students studying Robert Frost’s poetry at any level, from GCSE and IGCSE onwards.
They are a mixture of close reading (close analysis) and comparative or wider reading — as most are theme-based, feel free to adapt them to suit other poems of his as well!
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Robert Frost — Essay Questions:
Close Reading/Close Analysis:
Comment closely on ways in which the following poem explores individuality (The Road Not Taken)
Comment closely on ways in which this extract from ‘The Ax-Helve’ presents the encounter between the two men. ‘I’ve known ere now an interfering branch … As well tonight as any night.’
Comment closely on ways in which the following poem portrays fear. (Out Out)
Comment closely on ways in which this extract, the opening of ‘The Black Cottage’, presents the cottage. ‘We chanced in passing by that afternoon….A little cottage this has always seemed…’
Comment closely on ways in which the following poem portrays the interaction between humans and nature. (There are Roughly Zones )
Comment closely on ways in which the following poem portrays attitudes to death. (Birches)
Comparative/Wider Reading:
Write a critical comparison of the following poems, considering in detail ways in which your responses are shaped by the writers’ language, form and style ‘Stopping by Woods’ and ‘The Road Not Taken’
With reference to two poems, discuss the ways in which Frost’s poetry explores spirituality and religion.
Compare ways in which Frost presents the natural world in two poems.
Compare the effects of two poems which Frost sets in wintertime.
Compare ways in which Frost presents the tension between tradition and progress in two poems.
Compare ways in which two poems explore feelings of grief.
Compare ways in which Frost presents rural life in two poems.
I have a lot of Robert Frost’s poems analysed, so take a look by clicking here.
Thanks for reading! If you find this page useful, take a look at our full English Literature and Academic Writing courses here.
