著者

吉野 昌昭

出版者

九州大学

雑誌

言語文化論究 (ISSN:13410032)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.1, pp.1-13, 1990

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While giving an appreciative description of modest but rich scenes of the natural beauty of New England, Frost tried to scrutinize difficult human relationships and then to make an inquiry into the significance of man as a mortal. This paper traces his elaborate course of thought, especially in terms of the major imagery in his poems, so as to make explicit his whole idea of man's existence. The clandestine grudge the speaker of "Mending Wall" bears towards his neighbor, who doggedly keeps his faith in the "wall" between their farms allows us to have a general idea of our poet's basic stance as man and poet. First, the speaker's disbelief, which is apparently shared by his creator, in the usefulness of the "wall" does net drive him to dare to break it down, suggesting his careful consideration of other's beliefs. This seems to imply Frost's individualism in the best sense of the word and will easily be reinforced with other instances, such as the "considerate neglect" claimed by an old lady of "The Black Cottage" who fended for herself after the death of her husband. Secondly, however, there is no denying that Frost has had an urge to break down the wall, a testimony to his negative appraisal of individualism. Individualist that he is, the husband of "West-Running Brook" somehow manages with his wife's visionary insight as his guide to leave his small world for a wider view of the world and to share her romantic understanding of life. He gains an insight with which to read, for instance, the fate of man into the white waves and foam raised by the current as it flings itself backward towards the "source." The brook designated to suggest the difference in thought between husband and wife how finds itself symbolic of their mutual understanding and their sharing of the same view of life. The water and its source, which stands for "something" beyond the "wall," is thus found only obtainable when one believes, as does Frost, that "what counts is the ideals." No matter how futile it may be, man is destined to reach after "something" (or the Truth) beyond the "wall," whether it lies in the heart of others or somewhere in his imaginary world. Among other great poetic achievements of Frost's, "Directive" deals with the loftiness and originality of the "source" to which man aspires against the current of life washing him down towards death. In "Directive" Frost makes use of a repository of imagery that he has worked with over the years, and it is incumbent upon us to examine this imagery in the overall context of the poet's work. Frost dwells on the significance of man's trial to restore the primordial serenity and harmony on this side of the wall, the world of mortals. By focusing on images of crucial importance such as "wall" and "water," this paper attempts to show how free Frost is from dogma and how calmly he accepts the fact that no human dream can be perfectly celestial. Earthly troubles always insinuate themselves.