VSS PRASAD <vempatiprasad68@gmail.com> Sat, 2 Apr 2022 at 6:02 PM
To: VSS PRASAD <vempatiprasad68@gmail.com>
FIRE AND ICE
The poem expresses the profound idea that world would end in either of two ways by fire and ice. People are divided on this issue. Some believe that fire will become the cause of the end and others think that ice will end the world. Both components are compared with self destructing human emotions, hatred and desire. In this short poem frost is speculating about the end of the world. He likens ‘ fire with desire and greed and lust whereas ice signifies hatred. Both refer to dark traits of human nature which are capable of destroying the world. There are two views regarding this. Some people hold the world will end when the sun will explode while others believe that the world will come to an end as the earth will slowly freeze. The poet has touched the universal issue of the ending of this existing world. He gives a definite message as well as warning to human beings. Man is swaying between two extremes. Fire and ice. The poet believes that both fire and ice have strong potentials to bring disasters and destructions of the worlds. All such extremes can lead to unavoidable conflicts and disasters.The metaphors of fire and ice are used very effectively to convey a definite message to the readers. Fire stands for our unbridled, uncontrollable and untouched passions, desires lust and fury. Similarlycold reasoning devoid of all human warmth, love compassion will bring insensitive, cruelty and rigidity. Hatred born out cold and icy reason can lead to the destruction of the world. Frost then posits ‘Fire and Ice as the probable reasons for the demise of the world. Fire stands for greed avarice lust fury and intolerance- uncontrolled desires can lead to destruction just as fire burns down everything if is uncontrolled, similarly ice freezes and later warmth and life out of things. What frost points at is that our own emotions will lead to our downfall. He also thinks that the world will end in hatred and coldness (symbolized) by ice as mankind will cease to become compassionate towards each other and the environment.
VSS PRASAD <vempatiprasad68@gmail.com> Sun, 3 Apr 2022 at 8:08 AM