FIRE AND ICE BY ROBERT FROST

                                               POEM  2/FIRE AND ICE/ROBERT FROST 

SUMMARY—  ‘Fire and Ice’ is a short poem by Robert Frost. In this poem, the poet refers to two predictions of how the world will end. Some say it will end in fire while others say it will end in ice. According to the poet ‘fire’ stands for desire, greed, avarice or lust. The more you try to satisfy them, the more they grow. There is no end to it. They spread rapidly like fire and engulf your whole life. One becomes selfish and sometimes cruel also. On the other hand, ‘ice’ according to the poet, stands for hatred, coldness and rigidity. One becomes insensitive and indifferent towards the feelings of others. The poet says that both fire and ice are growing with such a rapid speed that the world would soon perish either way, in fire or in ice. 

Q1 What does ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for and what is the general opinion regarding the world? [Board Term-I, 2016-17]

Ans: Fire stands for fury, desire, lust, anger, avarice, cruelty and greed. Ice is symbolic of hatred, coldness, rigidity, insensitivity and intolerance. The general opinion regarding the world is that the world will end in fire and some say ice. Both the two reasons contrast each other and one equally opposite to each other. People who favour fire believe that it will be the heat and passion which will end the world. On the other hand, some people think that it will be the ice which will freeze the world. 

Q2. What deep meaning does the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ carry in it?  

Ans. The poet has compared fire to the dark side of humanity i.e., hatred and lust. According to the poet lust is a greater evil. Desire or lust is the cause of war. Hatred is also harmful. So the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ represents the two evils hatred and lust which lead to the destruction of the world. According to the poet fire stands for desire, greed and avarice. The more you try to satisfy them, the more they grow. There is no end to it. They spread rapidly like fire and ruin your whole life. On the other hand, ‘ice’ according to the poet, stands for hatred, coldness and rigidity. One becomes insensitive and indifferent towards the feelings of others. One becomes selfish and sometimes cruel also. The poet says that both fire and ice are growing with such a rapid speed that the world would soon perish either way, in fire or in ice. 

Q3. Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow: 

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. 

(a) What is the contradictory opinion of public? 

(b) How are the ice and fire similar to each other though they have contradictory traits?

(c) What does the poet favour? 

(d) What is the rhyming scheme in the stanza? 

Ans : (a) It debates if the world will end in fire or ice.

 (b) They are similar in the sense that both of them would finish everything. 

(c) The poet favours those who believe that fire would end the world. 

(d) a b a a 

Q4. Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow: 

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. 

(a) What does Ice stand for? 

(b) What would be the cause of destruction?

(c) Which word in the stanza stands for destruction?

(d) What, according to the poet, would bring an end to the world? 

Ans : (a) Ice stands for coldness  

(b) Ice and fire would cause destruction 

(c) perish 

(d) Hatredness would bring an end to the world. 

Note: Also Revise Question-Answers Given in the English Notebook. 

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