Bond and Free by Robert Frost

Bond and Free analyses

Speaker: In the poem "Bond and Free", we don't believe that the speaker is very important, rather what the unknown speaker is talking about is more important.

Diction: Words that describe Love usually have a dark connotation. Frost uses words like straining, being clingy and being thrall to describe Love while the words used to describe Thought have a brighter connotation. Some words and phrases used to describe thought are "Has need of no such things," This line tells how thought doesn't need walls to shut out the negative things like love does. Another line is "though has a pair of dauntless wings", which tells how thought is fearless and cannot be held back. "But thought has shaken his ankles free," tells again how thought cannot be held back. Also, thought is being described as being with the stars, which again describes the lack of limit that thought has.

Imagery: Some examples of imagery in this poem are "Hills and circling arms about-- Wall within wall," "A pair of dauntless wings," "On snow and sand and turn," "A printed trace," "Shaken his ankles free," "And sits in Sirius' disc all night," "With smell of burning on every plume," and finally, "Fused in another star."

Figurative Language: Love and thought are personified throughout the poem. Some examples of them being given human characteristics are: "Love has earth to which she clings," "Love has left a printed trace," "Though has need of no such things," "Thought cleaves the interstellar gloom," "Love by being thrall and simply staying possesses all," and "In several beauty that Thought fares far."
Irony is used in this poem because Love, which is normally portrayed as a good thing, is shown in a negative light.

Patterns/Changes: There are no identifiable patterns or changes.

Meaning: The poem Bond and Free shows the contrast between Love and Thought. It shows how Love is bonded, this poem describes Love with words like cling, walls, and thrall. This shows how Love is limited and tied down. Robert Frost decribes love as something that is not free, whereas Thought he describes as being Free. This poem depicts Thought as being with the stars and being unlimited. In this poem, words like dauntless, free, and faring far are used to describe Thought. Thought is sort of the opposite of Love in this poem in the sense that Love is bound and Thought is free.