Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Lovely Shall Be Choosers" by Robert Frost is a compelling and intricate poem that delves into the themes of choice, fate, and the consequences of one's decisions. Through a dialogue between a commanding Voice and a chorus of Voices, Frost explores the intricate dynamics of control, autonomy, and the unfolding of a woman's life.

The poem begins with a directive from the Voice, "Hurl her down!" which immediately sets a tone of severity and judgment. The Voices, echoing this command, inquire about the extent of this action: "How far down?" This question sets the stage for the unraveling of the woman's life over "seven levels of the world," representing seven significant phases or trials over a span of twenty years.

The central figure in the poem is a woman who, despite her beauty and societal advantages ("the lovely shall be choosers"), faces a series of life-altering choices and the repercussions that come with them. The Voices express skepticism about her ability to make the right choices: "She would refuse love safe with wealth and honor!" This line suggests that the woman is inclined to choose passion or authenticity over conventional security and respectability.

The poem unfolds with the Voices outlining the woman's life, marked by a series of joys that are paradoxically entwined with sorrow and isolation. Her first joy is her wedding, which, despite being a celebration, carries an unspoken truth known only to her and her partner: "Be her first joy her wedding, / That though a wedding, / Is yet—well something they know, lie and she." This suggests a marriage marred by hidden complexities.

Her subsequent joys are similarly bittersweet. Her second joy is the secret grief she must bear alone, without the support of her friends, which isolates her emotionally: "Her next joy / That though she grieves, her grief is secret." The third joy involves her friends being aware of her struggles but being too distant or indifferent to provide meaningful support: "They move in pleasure too far off / To think much or much care."

The poem continues to explore the interplay between her public and private lives. Her fourth joy is the presence of her children, who serve as a living reminder of her past happiness: "Give her a child at either knee for fourth joy / To tell once and once only, for them never to forget." However, the inability to share her true feelings with her friends leads to her fifth joy, which is a hollow one—she becomes underestimated and misunderstood by her peers.

Her sixth joy is a painful awareness of her failure to adapt to a new way of life, stemming from her high expectations and late arrival to this way of living: "She fails from strangeness to a way of life / She came to from too high too late to learn." This suggests a deep sense of dislocation and inadequacy.

The seventh and final joy offers a glimmer of hope and connection. Someone with a perceptive eye notices her and wonders about her story, stirring her heart and almost compelling her to speak: "Then send some one with eyes to see / And wonder at her where she is. / And words to wonder in her hearing how she came there." This fleeting encounter provides a moment of recognition and almost communication, but it is brief and incomplete.

In the end, the Voices express confidence in their plan: "Trust us," the Voices said. This statement underscores the tension between fate and autonomy, suggesting that despite the semblance of choice, the woman's life is shaped by forces beyond her control.

In summary, "The Lovely Shall Be Choosers" by Robert Frost is a nuanced exploration of choice, fate, and the complex interplay between public appearance and private reality. Through a series of paradoxical joys, Frost portrays a woman's journey marked by beauty, societal expectations, hidden struggles, and the poignant search for understanding and connection. The poem ultimately reflects on the human condition, the limitations of autonomy, and the profound impact of unseen influences on our lives.

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