FIRE AND ICE

BY ROBERT FROST
EMOTIONS – POSITVE AND
NEGATIVE
• Write down few positive and negative emotions that you have gone
through in your life. What effect did it have in your life?

POSITIVE NEGATIVE
EMOTIONS EMOTIONS
EMOTIONS – POSITVE AND NEGATIVE

POSITIVE HAPPINESS, JOY, SERENITY, HOPE,

EMOTIONS OPTIMISM, GRATITUDE, KINDNESS.

NEGATIVE FEAR, ANGER, DISGUST,SADNESS,

EMOTIONS DESIRE, HATRED, RAGE, LONELINESS.
EFFECTS OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
EMOTIONS

Positive emotions help people to move on in life whereas negative

emotions do not lead to anything productive in life. Hence, it is
advisable to keep negative emotions away from us and embrace
positive emotions.
FIRE AND ICE - VIDEO
 ANALYSIS
Central Theme
The theme of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ is the age-old question whether the world
will end in fire or in ice. The poet decides that any of the two options would
achieve its purpose sufficiently well. The poet shares the common belief that
everything that exists will have its end too. People are divided on this issue.
Some think that the natural element of fire will cause the destruction of this
world. Others believe that ice will be the cause of the end. Putting in terms of
human emotions, the element of ‘fire’ stands for desires and ‘ice’ stands for
hatred. Unbridled passions and desires can cause the end of the world. Even
hate born out of cold and icy reason is sufficient to cause destruction and the
end of the world. The poet has experienced both these emotions. It doesn’t
matter how the world will end but it is certain that with these two emotions,
world will definitely end..
 SUMMARY
• The poet feels that this world of ours will come to an end.
• He is not very clear when the end will come.
• He comes to this conclusion on the basis of what people say on this subject.
• He seems to show his agreement at what people say regarding the ending of
the world.
• On the basis of what people think, the poet believes that this world will come
to an end by the two highly contrasting but powerful elements of nature —
fire and ice.
• Either fire or ice or both will be the cause of the ending of the world.
 SUMMARY
• Then the poet links these two powerful natural elements to human
beings and their emotions.
• In the first stanza, the poet shows his agreement with those who
believe that fire will cause the end of the world.
• He links the element of ‘fire’ to the human emotion of ‘desire’ or
passions.
• The uncontrolled fire of passion and desire may lead us to the end of
this world.
• Then, the poet comes to the second alternative that can cause the end
of this world.
 SUMMARY
• It is the ‘ice’ which can also cause the end of the world.
• In terms of human emotion, ice means ‘hate’ created by ‘cold reasoning’.
• Cool and calculated icy reasoning can lead to hate and can be the cause of the
end of this world.
• The poet himself has experienced both these primal emotions of love as well
as hate, fire as well as ice, passions as well as cold reason.
• He has experienced enough of hate which is born out of icy cold reasoning.
• In the end, Frost agrees that it doesn’t matter whether it is fire or ice, both can
cause the end of the world.
• ‘Ice’ or ‘hate’ born out of cold reasoning is quite sufficient for causing the
end of the world
 LITERARY DEVICES USED IN THE
POEM
• 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”.
• 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”.
• Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive 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”.
• 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. Similarly, “green” and
“gold” are the symbol of beauty and happiness.
 LITERARY DEVICES USED IN THE
POEM
• Anaphora: It refers to 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.”
• 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.
• Enjambment: It is defined as a thought or clause that does not come to an end at a
line break; rather, it moves over the next line. For example,
“From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.”
Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme followed by the entire poem is ABAA BCBCB.
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.

1. Some say the world will end in fire

Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.

(a) What is the poet’s opinion of the world in these lines?

(b) What is the contradictory opinion of public?
(c) How are ice and fire similar to each other though they have
contradictory traits?
2. 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.

(a) What does ‘it’ refers to in the first line?

(b) What do you mean by ‘perish’?
(c) What does ice stand for?
(d) What would be the cause of destruction?