Robert Lee Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, California. His father, William Prescott Frost, was a native of New England. An admirer of Robert E. Lee, William named his son for the Confederate general. Robert's mother, Isabelle Moodie Frost, immigrated to Ohio from Scotland when she was 12 years old. She was a teacher and poet in her own right.
Robert's parents married within six months of meeting at a small private school in Pennsylvania, where they both worked as teachers. The couple moved to San Francisco, where William pursued a career in journalism and politics.
William died of tuberculosis when Robert was 11. Isabelle took her children to New England, where she resumed her career as a schoolteacher.
Although Robert Frost is thought of as a New England poet, he did not like the place when he first arrived. He also disliked his New England grandfather. When the elder Frost died, he provided generously in his will for young Robert, leaving the young man the bulk of his estate and a 20-year annuity. This annuity allowed Robert to write without having to seek work. Yet, Frost characterized his grandfather as a heartless cheat who had condemned Robert to miserable poverty on a muddy farm.
From early childhood, Robert had been beset by nervous illnesses, and he was usually kept home from school as a result. Although his mother tried to teach lessons at home, he received very little formal schooling as a young child. Frost's high school co-valedictorian was Elinor Miriam White, who would later become his wife. In his courtship of Elinor, as in other aspects of his life, Frost saw himself as a hero, struggling against unfairness and mistreatment. Although Frost wanted to marry immediately, Elinor insisted that they each complete their education first. Frost accused her of disloyalty and faithlessness, and even threatened to kill himself.
The couple finally married on December 19, 1895. While Elinor had graduated from college, Frost had dropped out of Harvard. Later, he attended Dartmouth, but he never earned a college degree.
Their first child, Elliott, born in 1896, died at the age of four. This tragedy put terrific pressure on a marriage that was already far from perfect. By 1900, though, the couple had five children. Both Robert and Elinor suffered from recurring illness, and their finances were strained. Robert taught some and wrote for various newspapers, but he could not find a permanent job.
Frost's poetry, which often seems to be simple, rural song, is actually complex, partly because of the poet's belief in ambiguity. A prime example of this deceptive simplicity is "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." ("New Hampshire," 1923). On the surface, the poem seems to be about a man driving his buggy home when he decides to rest in a clearing. However, experts see the poem as an expression of the fear of the unknown (the dark woods), and perhaps of the fascination death might hold for a man weary of life's confusion.
In contrast to his literary successes, the years from 1934 to 1940 were years of personal tragedy. His daughter Marjorie died of puerperal (childbed) fever. Elinor, already afflicted by cancer, suffered a heart attack in 1938. Although she remained conscious for several days before her death, she would not allow her husband into her bedroom. In 1940, his son Carol committed suicide. Frost took in Carol's family, but he suffered from guilt and depression.
In January 1961, Frost, at the pinnacle of his career, recited "The Gift Outright" ("A Witness Tree," 1942) from memory at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. He had written an original poem for the occasion, but because of failing eyesight, he was unable to see to read it. In 1962, Kennedy presented Frost with the Congressional Gold Medal, created specifically for the poet.
Robert Frost died on January 29, 1963, at the age of 89. While much has been written about his human flaws, he remains an important and beloved modern American poet.
Picture Source: http://www.bpsd.org/ims/Tech_Ed/8th%20Grade/Webpages_02-03/1st-9wks/kovell.abigail/images/Frost.jpg
Literary Sources:
Bailey, Ellen. "Robert Frost." Robert Frost: A Boy's Will. Great Neck Publishing. Literary Reference Center. Tarrant County College. 27 July 2009.
http://ezp.tccd.edu:2358/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=19345228&site=lrc-live
Beacham Group LLC. "Robert Frost." Research Guide to Biography & Criticism; 1990, Vol. 4, p196-197, 2p. Literary Reference Center. Literary Reference Center. Tarrant County College. 27 July 2009
http://ezp.tccd.edu:2358/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=17074881&site=lrc-live
