Dust of Snow
-Robert Frost
Summary:
The speaker of the poem walks in winter woods, feeling some unspecified regret. The rueful
speaker is under a hemlock tree when a crow's movement dusts him in snow. Refreshed, the
speaker takes heart and experiences a lifting of his spirits, a reprieve (cancellation or
postponement of punishment) from his regret.
The poet is upset in the beginning of the poem but a small incident of falling snow changes
his mood totally. ... Suddenly a crow sitting on the tree shakes the tree and the fine particles of
snow from the tree fall on the poet. The soft and cold touch of snow changes the poet's mood
from sad to happy. Furthering the poem's tension, the hemlock plant is the source of the
poison Socrates(Greek philosopher) used for his suicide. To many readers then, hemlock
evokes death by poison. The crow is also associated with death, a belief from Celtic
mythology(Greek mythology), as is winter. The rhyming words at the end of the first and
third lines, "crow" and "snow," create contrasts as well. One is black, the other white; one is a
sign of death and the other, the result of an animal's natural movement.
The poem thus courts the sort of symbolic meaning that Frost frequently pursues. Relief from
a rueful day comes in the small sacrament of the gentle dusting of snow. The thoughtless,
impudent gesture of the crow creates a lyric moment in the winter woods. Thoughts of his
own mortality bring the speaker back from regret to a more positive view of life.
1.How has the poet observed nature in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?
Ans. The poet has observed nature as a positive medium of change for him. The poet had a
sorrowful and depressive mood in the poem. But then the way a crow shook snow dust off,
changed his mood. Nature gave him the inspiration to behave in a positive manner.
2. What is the underlying message for us in our hectic life with reference to the poem,
‘Dust of Snow’?
Or What is the central idea of the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?
Ans. In the poem ‘Dust of Snow’, the poet wants to convey that sometimes certain moments
or actions which are simple have larger significance. They can change the mood or life of a
person. The way a crow shakes down the dust of snow on the poet inspires and gives him the
idea to shake off his depressive thoughts, become cheerful and do something useful.
3. What side of nature do ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent?
Ans. ‘Crow’ is a black, harsh-voiced bird and ‘hemlock’ is a tree with poisonous bitter fruit.
Both are not beautiful. They represent the dark, depressive, sorrowful and bitter side of
nature.
4. Why does the poet use such poetically uncommon bird and tree? What does it reflect?
Ans. The poet seems to be in a depressive and sorrowful mood. In such a mood, one cannot
think of a sweet and beautiful side of nature. The harsh, bitter and poisonous images come to
his mind. That is why he uses an uncommon, harsh, ugly crow and poisonous tree like
hemlock.
5. Justify the role of the crow in the poem “Dust of Snow” in changing the poet’s mood.
Ans. I think, ‘the way snow dust was shaken off’ changed his mood. Perhaps it gave the poet
inspiration/idea to behave in the same manner—shake off his depressive thoughts and revive
his cheerful mood.
6. What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem? How does it reflect?
Ans. The sorrowful and depressive mood of the poet is reflected in the poem. The use of the
bird ‘crow’, which is ugly and harsh, and the hemlock tree, which is a poisonous plant,
reflects the poet’s mood.
Q.7. What did the poet think of the day before the dust of snow fell on him?
Ans. Before the fall of the dust of snow, the poet thought that his day was ruined. He was in a
bad mood. But then, dust of snow fell on him. It signalled something good and joyful. His
mood changed.
Q.8. Write a note on the setting of the poem.
Ans. The poem presents a perfect setting. There are four elements in the poem. All these four
elements match one another. The snow stands for depression. The hemlock tree is a symbol of
sadness. The crow is considered ominous. The poet’s mood was also sad. But suddenly the
way in which the crow shook the hemlock tree and falling off the dust of snow. change the
poet’s mood.
Q.9. Where was the poet and what happened to him?
Ans. There was snow everywhere. The poet was under a hemlock tree. The tree was covered
with snow. Suddenly a crow shook the tree. The dust of snow fell on the poet. It changed
his mood.
