A New Criticism analysis of Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" would focus on the poem's language, structure, and literary devices to uncover its underlying meanings and themes. Here are some key points:
1. Ambiguity and irony: The poem's speaker says "I took the less traveled road," but the roads are "really about the same." This ambiguity and irony highlight the complexity of choice and the speaker's self-delusion.
2. Imagery and symbolism: The road, woods, and fork in the road are symbols that invite close reading. The road represents choice, the woods signify uncertainty, and the fork embodies the moment of decision.
3. Speaker's tone and reliability: The speaker's tone is contemplative and introspective, but also uncertain and self-justifying. This raises questions about their reliability and the poem's truth.
4. Poetic structure: The poem's rhyme scheme, meter, and stanza structure create a sense of balance and order, contrasting with the speaker's inner turmoil and the uncertainty of their choice.
5. Paradox and tension: The poem explores the paradox of choice, highlighting the tension between individual desire and societal expectations.
6. Existential implications: The poem raises existential questions about the nature of choice, free will, and the human condition.
7. Close reading of key lines: Lines like "I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence" invite close analysis, revealing the speaker's awareness of their own myth-making and the poem's self-reflexive nature.
New Criticism would argue that "The Road Not Taken" is a rich, complex poem that rewards close reading and attention to its literary devices, inviting readers to uncover its deeper meanings and themes.