Mahwish Bangash

Ms/MPhil in Linguistcs

Session 2020-21

Department Of English/Linguistics

Islamia College University Peshawar

Course Title

Communication Theories

Instructor

Dr. Iqbal

Q: (i) Identify the multiplicity of voice in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ written by Robert
Frost?

(ii) Analyze what the poet is torn between and among in the light of Relational Dialectics
theory of L. Baxter and Montogmery.

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Introduction

The purpose of this assignment is to analyze the poem Road Not Taken from different
aspects while applying Relational Dialectics principles. For example, Spiralling and
segmentation, tug of war, integration and separation, stability and change, expressions and
non- expressions. RDT was first proposed by ( L . Baxter and B. Montgomery 1996 ) , which
could be interpreted as a ‘knot of contradictions in person relationships’ and interplay
between contrary an opposing tendencies. Whereas, to evaluate the poem Road Not Taken
in the light of RDT the speaker describes himself as a confused person who is facing a
situation to choose between two roads. The poet used extended metaphor for all the
uncertain situation and choices that every individual must take in life.

History of RDT

RDT was formalized as a theory in mid 1990s’ by L.Baxter and Montgomery. According to
them the traditional way of RD is a comfortable zone. Initially, they studied romantic bonding
of a couple. These theorists worked independently, but when they saw similarity of their
reasoning, they co- authored a book named ‘Competing Voices’. The premise of the book is
social bonding, initially applied to romantic relationship but later they enlarged the spectrum
of the theory and applied to all other social bondings. For example, they conducted in depth
interviews of lovers and the social bonding occurs in inter-dependence with an
independence form. Inter-dependence is a force of ‘unity’ and independence is force of
‘negation’. So humans experience these pull and pushes of unity and negation in every
relationship. Furthermore, dialectically has been recognized by many thinkers. According to
language philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin, ‘central core of every human experience is
dialectical’. When two tendencies are connected together but drives in conflicting and
oppositional directions and the force of one is equally to the other; when generates the force
of one the other automatically strengthen. In order to understand this force scientifically we
study about centripetal and centrifugal forces. Centripetal force drives you to the centre and
inertia pulls you away. When swinging fast so you will increase the amount of the centripetal
force and the amount of centripetal force will equally strengthen centrifugal force.

Theory versions and the poem

The next part of the research by theorists was to catalogue such forces (unity and negation)
in detail list. For instance, the first version of the theory was focusing on contradictions in
humans’ behaviours; they studied human behaviours and noticed that humans want
connections with the people but at the same time autonomy is also needed because too
much connection kills the spirit of life. Another example is, at times earthlings want to reveal
their secrets to their fellow beings but the more secrets are revealed the more they become
scared and simultaneously reminded of vulnerability. This vulnerability informs the person
not to disclose. Therefore, this leads to certainty and uncertainty which means if you become
100% predictable to your partner, he/she will lose interest and the relationship will become
stagnant. An absolute known person doesn’t carry value.

Now the same version is applied in poem ‘The Road not Taken’ which is basically about
decision making. In the very beginning of the poem the statements presented by the speaker
that is ‘two roads diverged in a yellow wood’ where the poet was standing at the crossroad
and both the roads were equally inviting and appealing but then because of some reasons
not clear to him he took a road, here segmentation applied he opted one path and when he
reached to the end of the road he started lamenting and longing for the road not taken. This
process is called spiralling where he was lamenting his decision.

In second version they looked for these forces in language of people, so the second version
is drilling deep on the first version. For example, good deeds take us to the paradise by
opting the path of strong faith. This means that the languages are the right place for these
contradictory forces. The word dialectic is self-explanatory ‘Di’ means two and ‘lectic’ means
language. Moreover, in the second version the theorists use the word ‘dialogue’, means life
is a dialogue and mutual understanding creates a common ground. We can create a
common ground up to some extent but personal zone is different.

As Shakespeare said, “variety is the spice of life.”

In the poem it is applied while translating lines of the poem into technical language of
dialectical relations, two roads lead to two voices, means different discourses caught the
poet into the complexity of life and when he proceed further in the ‘yellow woods’ therefore,
yellow refers implicitly to autumn which depicts fall of leaves or the time of separation.
Yellow colour is compatible with the mood of poet and his critical nature and wood is
referring to the complexity of life and the phrase ‘long l stood’ explains that it was critical
moment he was caught between two tendencies; here the application of the theory is
enlarged it is not about relationship between two people but relation with life. The use of
adjective ‘yellow’ and the phrase “Alas! I could not travel” establish the mood and tone of the
poem which interprets that the poet is slightly feeling barren and down cast proves the
uncertainty of choices.

Multiplicity of voice in the poem

Karl Marx said, “Every voice is the voice of place not individual”. Your decisions are
ultimately decisions of your place you occupied in social hierarchy. The decision we take is
not the decision of our own but it is the decision of our community or economic status.

Life is not pure or unilateral or comfortable zone rather life is multi-lateral or multi-directional
zone. Life is not pure single unpurified voice but it is a composite of mixed voices. In poem
the poet has not seen both of the roads, the moment he decided for the one road, exactly on
that spot he is reminded of the previous or the leftover one and he is shocked to go on the
selected one. This shows dialectic tension, the proof of multiple tendencies, multiple voices
or multiple discourses. He is pulled into two different directions. The Tug of War is palpable
in his tension, in his division and what is the division? That this one is perhaps attractive and
when he states this, he is reminded of other voice that he will be lamenting. The poet is
instead collectivist rather individualist. There is collectivism shown among both roads he
might want to listen to parental narratives but personal narrative perhaps taken upper hand
and which was momentarily because towards the end of the poem we can hear a big sigh.
The speaker has catalogued few conflicting tendencies and for the verification of this theory
our own self is a very good laboratory that how at different stages we are confronted by
mixed voices and we can never neatly pick one voice.

Basic tenets of RDT in the poem

The poet is torn between the conflicting tendencies in the light of RDT by L. Baxter and
Montgomery. Dual nature of life (diverged, yellow, two roads) and the choice of language or
words in the title of the poem is indicative of dilemma concerning what option to take up and
which one to leave. So, the explicit meaning is the road taken but implicit meaning is the
road not taken. The poet has taken crucial decision and not a solid homogeneous decision
rather he has made mixed decision because humans are engulfed by a conflicting voices.
Therefore, the essential duality of human life has been addressed in a very first line two
roads diverged.

Spiralling and segmentation

Isolating the different aspects of relationships or life is segmentation and in the poem the
speaker segmented the one road though he was attracted to both but opted one. The third
line of the third stanza ‘Oh! I kept’ Is a very clear segmentation here spiralling was shifted
into segmentation.

Line 14th”yet knowing how” another very clear tenet of relational dialectics when you reach a
decision and at the same time another tendency spring forth. Spiralling is to go back and
forth means oscillation between two i.e. yes or no. The poet travelled along one road but
now he is switching back to another road, so the principle is operating due to switching back
and forth between the tendencies. The first two stanzas are spiralling ‘The two roads....Had
trodden back’ two roads presents unified tendencies caught, the word yellow explains
nostalgic mood, the poet is lamenting the loss, and the word wood describes the complexity
of life. The two conflicting tendencies caught me in the complexity of life.

Tug of war

The tug of war is the main theme running throughout the poem which proves that the deep
structure of every human experience is dialectical and this is what the poet unconsciously
speaks about. The poet might not know relational dialectics but the poem is beautifully
illustrating the theory. Relationship is never comfortable zone, it is always dialectical, it is a
tug of war situation. While managing his present situation he knows that he will be victim
because he is pulled into two different directions stated in the given line two roads diverged.

‘Long I stood’ phrase represent a critical moment and he is caught between unified
conflicting tendencies for a fair amount of time, here it is not easy to isolate or segment.

Stability and change

It is about certainty and uncertainty of his decision and how much he is torn between the
levels of conventionality and uniqueness. To be conventional is to be certain to go along the
one he opted but the change is to select the one which is less travelled as mentioned in this
line ‘I took the one less travelled’. He wanted to take a path which is ‘grassy and wanted
wears’ in order to be unique, therefore, this statement suggests the uniqueness but this
uniqueness is also not pure due to being reminded of conventionality.

Integration and separation

Self-reliance in the form of autonomy is the assertion of having an independent mind. It

means that how much a person wants to share and how much to hide. The poet chooses the
road less travelled is the indication of independence for his own sake. The autonomy is also
presented by the use of pronoun ‘I’ throughout the poem. However, the connection is that
whatever the results will be is because of this decision which is stated in the last line ‘Has
made all the differences. The poet is split between inclusion and seclusion. Therefore,
momentarily the person has opted for personal narrative which is presented in these
statements: ‘grassy and unwanted wears’, ‘no step had trodden back.’

In line 15 ‘I doubt it’ he was sure but was not willingly to accept the lamenting nature of life
because he could taste only one aspect of life and could not taste the other aspect means
the left-over road. In short, he cannot have the total of life which leads to the inclusion and
seclusion principle of relational dialectics theory.

Expression and non-expression

According to the principle of revelation and concealment, life is an adjustment. Ultimately

humans are dual by nature and dialectical examples are, spiralling and segmenting the two-
conflicting tendency in the poem. This text has a nostalgic lamentation for suppressed
aspect of life indicates the limited nature of human. Humans have a very partial experience
of life therefore the principle of openness and closeness is applied according to the
requirement. Towards the end of the poem revelation and concealment is presented in line ‘I
shall be... ages hence’. ln this statement the poet’s experience is getting public or sharing
with people as well as confining things to himself to some extent because he will not share
the whole experience.

Therefore, after analyzing the poem and evaluating it in the light of Relational Dialectic
Theory the conflicting tendencies are identified in the poem. These conflicting tendencies
pursuit in the nature of human beings. The poet is split between novelty and conventionality
leads to uncertain and perplex situation. So, to investigate the poem it was important to
know the principles of RDT.