Question

What does ‘ice’ symbolise in these lines?​

Answer 1

Explanation:

Fire and Ice By Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favour fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

ROBERT FROST

Fire and Ice Summary

Explanation of the Poem

Stanza 1

Some say the world will end in fire

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favour fire.

Explanation

• The poet is analysing about the end of the world. The poet provides and deals with two possible causes for the end of the world. He considers the age-old question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice. Both the two reasons contrast each other and are equally opposite to each other. On one side of the debate are tohse people who are in favour of fire. They believe that it will be the heat and the passion, which will lead the humanity, the world, to end. On the other side of the debate are those people who favour ice and feel that it will be the ‘ice’ which will freeze the world.

Frost is providing a powerful statement on the subject of greed and jealously. He is saying that above anything else, even hatred, which is the trail of humanity, is most likely to lead the world to its demise.

Ice' symbolises hatred. So hatred is sufficient for the world's destruction. c. The main idea of these lines is that hatred can destroy the world.