FIRE AND ICE

-Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
THEME

● This poem was written by Robert Frost, an American poet. It was first published in 1920
in New Hampshire. The poem expresses the profound idea that the world would end in
one of two ways, either by ice or fire.
● This poem is about the apocalypse, the poet expresses how the world will end. Some
people believe that the world will be incinerated by fire, while others argue that it will
freeze and perish.
● Fire and Ice are both outcomes of unconstrained passion, desire and greed to consume
more. Fire is desire that makes people greedy, materialistic and deceitful. It is the desire
for power that led deadliest wars, battles which resulted loss of lives. Frost is saying that
as someone who has tasted passion and desire , Frost prefers the idea of going out in a
fiery blaze of glory (desire) rather than dying in a cold, dispassionate, and stagnant world.
But if the fire didn’t work and the world had to end twice then ice would definitely be
enough to finish the job.
● He says that ice is equally capable of wreaking havoc. Ice results when people have no
love/warmth in their relationships. People will not help each other when in need of help.
This lack of emotion and stagnancy turns into hatred as people forget they need each
other to survive. This hatred if left unchecked can devour the entire world.
● Finally, Frost ends this prose by stating that in the end, it doesn’t really matter, and if
destruction is the “end” then both Fire and Ice are justifiable.

LITERARY DEVICE

1. Rhyme Scheme: ABA ABC BCB

2. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the
long sound of /o/ in “I hold with those who favor fire”.
3. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as
the sound of /f/ in “I hold with those who favor fire”.
4. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers visualise things involving their five senses. For
example, “Some say the world will end in fire” and “To say that for destruction ice, is
also great”.
 5. Symbolism: Symbolism is a use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities, by giving them
symbolic meanings different from their literal meanings. “Fire” is the symbol of desires
and “Ice” symbolizes hatred
6. Anaphora: The repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. For
example,

“Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.”

6. Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. In this

poem, “Fire” and “Ice” are capable of destruction. Therefore, the poet personifies fire
and ice by giving them a mind which is capable of destroying almost anything.
7. Enjambment: A thought or clause that does not come to an end with a punctuation or
line break rather, it continues to the next line. For example,

“From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.”