English Literature

Allegory is a literary device that uses symbolic figures, objects, and actions to convey truths or generalizations about human conduct or experience (Encyclopedia Britanica). Beyond the surface of the lines are deeper meanings presented in symbols and metaphors. Acquainted with the Night (1928) written by Robert Frost, is one example where allegory is used in poetry. The poem challenges the readers to analyze what was in Frosts mind when he wrote the poem. It also challenges them to reflect deep into their personal lives.

To advance into the allegorical analysis of Acquainted with the Night (1928), it is important to understand Robert Frost as a person and as a poet. As a person, Frost experienced many difficulties and suffered depression through most of his life. Although he was a devote family man, he frequently felt alienated from his family and most often withdrew to his dream world. He was most affected with the death of his parents and the ill fate of his wife and children. As a poet, Frost has been very much respected and admired. He was acclaimed for his new approaches in poetry. But gaining recognition was not easy he also went through a lot of rejections and frustrations (Merriman, 2006).

Robert Frosts creative eloquence invites varied interpretations. But to look into Frosts life and search for the meaning behind Acquainted with the Night (1928), one has to understand depression and how it affected Frosts life. Depression is an illness that affects a persons mind, thoughts, moods, including his body (Definition of Depression, 2001). It also affects the way he feels about himself, about other people and about things around him. Frost must have had a strong influence of mental illness in his family. Both he and his mother suffered depression, and one of his daughters was committed to a mental hospital (Merriman, 2006). With Frost experiencing many difficulties in life, aggravated by his hereditary susceptibility to mental illness, it was no doubt that Frost had difficulty getting out of his depression. Since it is characteristic of this illness to recur, this must have deeply affected his social life.

In the first stanza Frost talks about being acquainted with the night (1) as if he was no newcomer to the coldness and darkness of the night. This refers to the loneliness and isolation Frost felt while he was depressed. Walking in and out of the rain means he has been in and out of depression. There must have been times when he recovered and felt normal but stress and problems affected him causing him to fall back. He boasts about outwalking the furthest light (3). This means he has been through long enduring and extreme states of depression. It is possible when a person keeps going into depression, being extremely sad, affecting his physical, mental and emotional state, he gets used to it. That is why Frost expressed confidence about being able to handle the situation and get through life with it.

While in the first stanza, the feeling of loneliness is concentrated to the self, the second stanza focuses on the feeling of loneliness even around other people. I have passed by the watchman on his beat and dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. (6)  Instead of engaging in a conversation with the watchman (5), he preferred to remain silent because he wanted to avoid any interaction. He knew other people would not understand how complicated his feelings were that it was no use letting them know. Frost traveled and exposed himself to many people. He was active in the literary community and was invited many times to give lectures and speeches. Despite all the recognition, he still chose to be in reclusion.
The third stanza refers to a cry that comes from somewhere. The narrator tries to focus on this cry, I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet (7) or the attempt of somebody to communicate. But he is mistaken because the call is not intended for him. The narrator realizes that people relate to each other, but not to him. Frost must have felt that nobody was really concerned but not to call me back or say goodbye (10) and nobody cared. Depression threatens relationships. When somebody is submerged in depression, he feels helpless. A person going through depression needs the support of family but in Frosts case, he did not get the support he needed. His family was not able to give him the care because they themselves needed it.

In the fourth stanza, the lines a luminary clock against the sky, proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right (13) expresses how Frost must have felt about his self-worth. He felt at some point that his life was meaningless. This is characteristic of depression. People even end up committing suicide because they feel that their lives do not matter anymore. Time not knowing the right from wrong means Frost was giving up his fight against depression. He must have felt that there was no way he would be able to get out of his incurable condition. He must also have felt helpless incapable of helping his wife, mother and his child who were all suffering from depression.

Robert Frost was a genius in poetry. He wrote the poem Acquainted with the Night (1928) to tell the world what he knew about depression. He told the people how it was to suffer from this illness the extreme loneliness and its threats to social life. Different people may have varied interpretations of this beautiful poem, but reading about Frosts life and knowing about depression gives one a more fitting interpretation of the night that Frost claimed he was so acquainted with.