Robert Frost Summary

Robert Frost was born in California in March 1874. When he was eleven year old his father died of tuberculosis, so with his mother and sister moved to New England to live with their grandparents. After graduating high school with his future wife and co-valedictorian Elinor White, Frost attended Dartmouth College. He left school after without finishing, published a few poems, and tried a variety of jobs. After the second proposal Elinor White finally said yes. Frost did decide to go back to school, but this time to Harvard to study liberal arts History repeated itself and Frost had to leave because of health conditions and Elinor was pregnant with their second child.

“In 1900, Frost moved with his wife and children to a farm in New Hampshire—property that Frost's grandfather had purchased for them—and they attempted to make a life on it for the next 12 years. Though it was a fruitful time for Frost's writing, it was a difficult period in his personal life.” (Biography.com para. 4)

Many deaths followed Frost’s life. Out of the seven children Elinor gave birth, one lived to be thirty-eight, Carol, before committing suicide and only two lived out lived Carol. It was a hard time for both Elinor and Frost. Frost used poetry as a way to escape from his grieving and a way to reflect on life.

         In 1912, the Frosts started a new life my selling the poultry farm and moving to England. In England Frost found a publisher that printed his book Boy’s Will. Thankfully, Ezra Pound and Edward Thomas realized Frost’s talent and wrote splendid reviews. When World War I broke out Frost and Elinor had to come back to America where they moved to New Hampshire. This is where “Frost began a long career as a teacher at several colleges, reciting poetry to eager crowds and writing all the while” (Biography.com para. 10). Frost taught at many colleges: Dartmouth, University of Michigan, Middlebury College, Amherst College. In 1938, Frost took it hard when Elinor, his major inspiration for poetry, died from a battle with cancer (Poets.org para.3). He left his teaching position and continued to write poetry. He lived and breathed poetry till his death on January 29^th, 1963. Even on his gravestone it says, “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world.”

"Robert Frost." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.

"Robert Lee Frost." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Feb. 2016 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

Biography.com Editors. "Robert Frost Biography." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/robert-frost-20796091>.