In Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, the persona deals with the inner struggle to choose between his instinct or his rational thought which are seen respectively through the contrast of the narrator’s desire to stay by the woods longer and the promises he has to keep throughout the poem. At the end of the poem, the narrator chooses to continue his long journey thanks to his horse who can be seen as the narrator’s external consciousness which brings the narrator to his senses.

The narrator’s growing desire to stay by the woods is caused by the peaceful atmosphere and beauty of the place. The woods are “lovely” (13) and “fill up with snow” (4). The snow, which is white and soft, can be seen as a metaphorical blanket which covers the narrator, protects him from the coldness and makes him want to sleep there. The rhythm of the poem sounds like a lullaby and almost makes the narrator fall asleep. The persona’s desire to stay is also expressed by the lack of people in the area. There is no “farmhouse near” (6) and the owner of the woods is not here: “His house is in the village, though; / he will not see me stopping here” (2-3). The fact that the woods belong to somebody makes his desire more important, because it is the propitious moment to stay. There is a sense of inactivity as everything around the narrator is still which is illustrated by the “frozen lake” (7). Furthermore, “The only other sound’s the sweep/Of easy wind and downy flake” (11-12) brings quietness and emphasizes the fact that the speaker is alone and feels in peace. All these factors, beauty, quietness, peacefulness and solitude make the narrator feel a growing desire which causes a dilemma in his choice.

In contrast to the attraction towards the woods, the narrator has obligations. These obligations are illustrated by the horse who is a reminder of the narrator’s constraints: “My little horse must think it queer / To stop without a farmhouse near” (5-6). The animal does not understand why they stopped, because there is no logical reason: there is nothing around, it is cold and it is also “the darkest evening of the year” (8). The horse behaves in a rational way; thus he is the voice of reason. In order to wake his master, the horse “[he] gives his harness bells a shake / To ask if there is some mistake” (8-9). The word “shake” can also be used as a verb, the horse shaking the narrator, so that he can come back to his rationality, because the speaker is too subjugated by the beauty of the woods. Moreover, the alliteration of [s] and [k] in these lines brings a louder sound in the poem that can be interpreted as an echo of the bells ringing. The narrator’s responsibilities prevail over the desire to stay by the woods: “But I have promises to keep” (14). At the end of the poem, the speaker tries to convince himself that it he has made the right decision as he repeats twice: “And miles to go before I sleep” (15).

“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” illustrates well the behaviour of a man being absorbed by his desire. The persona’s decision is confusing because he is captivated by a place where everything seems to be advantageous on the one hand; on the other, however, he has to fulfil his duties. Stopping by the woods is an emotional moment for the narrator, but the horse quickly brings him back to his rationality. Continuing his road is more reasonable than staying by the woods too long.