Dust of Snow (Robert Frost)

Introduction

"Dust of Snow" is a short poem consisting of just two stanzas. In the fewest possible words, the poet has
given the details of a landscape. A snow-laden hemlock tree, with a crow flying out of it, scattering the soft
snow all over the poet passing by under the tree, make a perfect, balanced and complete winter landscape.

BEHIND THE SCENES

• Frost's poems are woven around the natural world and especially the rural areas.

• Contrary to the typical Frost poems, Dust of Snow is different because here he has highlighted the
hopeful aspect of nature. According to him, nature can lead to drastic changes in an individual's mental state
both positively and negatively.

• It is interesting to note that this poem was initially called "A Favour" for the way the crow does a
favour to the poet by showering dust of snow on him

TONE OF THE POEM

The tone of the poem "dust of snow" changes from sorrow to joy and relief. the poet has experienced a
terrible day, but the snow dust dropped by the crow lifts his spirits.

THEMES
1. The power of nature to transform one's mood and outlook on life: The poem emphasizes the power of
nature to bring about a change in a person's mood and transform their outlook on life. The dust of snow
falling from a hemlock tree is a small and seemingly insignificant event, but it has the power to change the
speaker's mood from one of sadness and despair to one of joy and optimism. This theme speaks to the
healing and transformative power of nature.

2. The importance of finding beauty and joy in unexpected places or situations: The dust of snow falling
from the hemlock tree is a small and unexpected event that brings the speaker joy and transforms their mood.
This theme speaks to the idea that we should be open to finding beauty and joy in unexpected places or
situations.

3. The concept of redemption and second chances: This theme speaks to the idea that we can find redemption
or second chances in unexpected places or situations.

4. Power of Nature: The poet reveals that contact with nature provides a healing touch and relieves us of
depression, sadness and gloom. Even those objects of nature which we tend to treat as having
negative, inauspicious associations can be effective in dispelling the gloom in a person's mind. Therefore,
the poem contains the idea that nothing in nature is ugly, inauspicious, or unpleasant. Even a crow, a handful
dust of snow, and a poisonous tree like hemlock can be instrumental in turning melancholy into
cheerfulness.

MESSAGE

The poem conveys another message that we should never lose hope and optimism, and never let gloom
overpower our minds. Joys and sorrows are inevitable. Therefore, we must adopt an optimistic
attitude towards life.
LITERARY DEVICES

1. Alliteration

Alliteration is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. It
creates a musical effect and enhances the pleasure of reading a literary work.

Examples:
♦ Has given my heart
Here 'h' sound has been repeated.
♦ And saved some part
Here the repetition of's' sound .

2. Enjambment
Enjambment as a literary device refers to the practice of running lines from one to the next without using any
kind of punctuation marks to indicate a pause (full stop, comma etc.). This poem is an excellent example of
enjambment. Each of its lines runs on to the next without any punctuation mark and the thought ends with
the last line. The full stop comes only at the end.

3. Symbolism
Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are
different from their literal sense. Generally, it is an object representing another, to give an entirely different
meaning that is much deeper and more significant.

The poet has used Three symbols - 'a crow', 'a hemlock tree' and 'a dust of snow'. All the three symbols are
conventionally associated with sorrow. A crow is considered ugly and inauspicious which portends
illfortune. A hemlock tree is poisonous and, therefore, has direct association with death and the snow
represents hardships. The poet has associated these negative symbols with his dark, depressed and gloomy
mood. However, he makes these symbols instrumental in bringing about a deep, positive change in his
mood. The negative associations of the three symbols are, in this way, replaced by positive connotations.

4. Imagery
Imagery in poetry refers to the mental pictures or images which are evoked in the minds of the readers
through words in a literary work. Imagery makes a poem graphic and more appealing. The small poem "Dust
of Snow" is full of visual imagery of the winter landscape. It presents the landscape of the forest with snow-
covered trees, a crow perched on the hemlock tree and a lonely traveller (the poet himself) passing by. The
imagery corresponds with the mental state of the poet.

RHYME SCHEME
Each of the two stanzas in the poem "Dust of Snow" follow the same rhyme scheme i.e. abab.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

1. How does Frost present nature in this poem?

Robert Frost's treatment of nature in the poem "Dust of Snow" is unconventional. Although, like the
conventional nature poets. Frost believes that nature provides relief from the sorrows and troubles of the
world, he does not present some beautiful landscape with green trees or flower-laden plants.
Nor does he talk about some sweet singing birds like a cuckoo, a lark, or a nightingale. He presents a winter
landscape – a hemlock tree with poisonous flowers all covered with snow and a crow sitting on it. In fact,
the three symbols have been used to present effectively the mental state of the poet.
The poet who has been in a depressed and melancholy mood for the whole day happens to pass by near a
snow-laden hemlock tree with a crow perched on it. But when the crow shakes down on him some particles
of snow, this gentle shower is enough to lift his mood. He is transported from a sad, dejected mental state to
one of relief and pleasure. The remaining part of the day is marked by happiness and a light mood.
Therefore, although hemlock tree and crow are not traditionally associated with pleasing emotions, still they,
being part of nature, can be instrumental in imparting happiness. Similarly, snow is symbolic of difficult
times or suffering, but snow can also liberate a person from the mood of sadness. Nature always
provides pleasure. Such is the bond between human beings and nature that whenever human beings come
into the lap of nature, they are certainly blessed with relief, delight and pleasure.

2. Explain: "Of a day I had rued".

The expression means that the poet's melancholic mood had spoilt his day by making it dull, dreary and sad.
But his bad mood is immediately uplifted when the powdery snow showers down on him from the branches
of the hemlock tree.

3. How could a handful of dust of snow save 'some part of a day'?

Dust of snow in all its whiteness, purity and soothing coolness came like a blessing from heaven which
pacified the poet's agitated mind. The suddenness and spontaneity of the fall drove away all his gloom,
leaving the poet to spend the rest of the day happily. Thus, the rest of the day was saved.