Poem. 2. Fire and Ice
Short answer type questions.
1. For Frost, what do fire and ice stand for?
2. How has Frost brought out the contrasting ideas in the poem?
3. Write down the two different views about the end of the world.
4. How does Frost caution the common man?
5. Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire?
Long answer type questions.
1. Discuss how extreme behavior can hasten the end of the world with respect to Fire and
Ice.
2. The poem carries with it very deep thematic ideas. Elaborate on these darkest traits of
humanity.
Answers
Answer:
What is the poet’s opinion of the world in these lines? [CBSE 2014]
(b) What is the poet’s opinion about the world?
(c) What is the contradictory opinion of public?
(d) How are ice and fire similar to each other though they have contradictory traits? [CBSE 2011]
Answer:
(a) In the poet’s opinion the world will end in fire.
(b) Aaccording to the poet, the world will end in fire.
(c) The contradictory opinion of public is the debate whether the world will end in fire or ice.
(d) Both ice and fire are similar in the in the sense that both of them would destroy everything in the world.
Answer:
1. The word ‘fire’ stands for desire. In the poem, it indicates all types of greed and lust. In today’s world, mankind’s greed is endangering the very existence of the planet Earth. The word ‘ice’ in the poem indicates hatred and indifference which is as cold as ‘ice’.
2. ‘Desire’ propels us in hot pursuit of something; hence, it is compared with fire. ‘Hatred’ makes us cold towards other’s feelings. The coldness of ice can numb our senses. Similarly, the coldness of our hearts can numb our kindness. That is why ‘hatred’ has been compared with ice.
3. There is a debate that is going on about the end of the world. People say that the world will end in fire or in ice. World is transitory, nothing is perennial in this universe.
4. Man is selfish, avaricious, lustful, indifferent and
hateful. Robert Frost cautions the common man and says that he should not forget the bitter reality that everything in this world is transitory and death is inevitable.
5. The poet takes side with those who believe that the world will be destroyed by fire. Frost connects fire with desire. According to the poet, desire is powerful and would be a quick end. Moreover, the fact that he has had personal experience with desire leads him to first conclude that the world will end in fire.
Long answer type questions.
2. Frost presents the two of the darkest traits of humanity; the capacity to hate and the capacity to be consumed by lust or desire. Of the two, he attributes the greater of the two evils, is desire. In giving desire the foremost position with regard to the destruction of the world, Frost is providing a powerful statement on the subject of greed and jealousy, saying that above all trait of humanity that is most likely to lead to its demise. Desire represents the greatest problem that attributes to the cause of the war. Frost then attributes hatred with the same capacity to do harm. However, he lessens the relative importance of hatred but still presents it as having the ability to lead to the destruction of the world if it were to happen for a second time.