Comparing and Contrasting Robert Frost’s “Provide, Provide”

“Provide, Provide” instantly takes on a cynical and mocking tone to describe a negative view of life. Frost describes a world that is solely based on appearances. The word “provide” is used in place of “prepare.” Frost, in my opinion, is telling his readers to prepare their outward appearances so that when they die, they will look grand and wonderful. By this I mean that I think he says that individuals live life knowing that they will die, and when they die, they want to be well remembered, liked, and want people to think greatly of them. I think that he uses the word “provide” to imply that when you are preparing for your death by making “friends,” you are only providing yourself with the status that you desire and want. The theme of this poem is: one should have all outward grac

es and dignified status, even if not internalized, so that when one dies, they are thought of as great.

I personally, upon close examination of “Provide, Provide” and “Richard Cory,” feel that “Provide, Provide” is the greater piece of literature. I feel that Frost did a better job of using poetic devices to illustrate his thematic content. His use of assonance, alliteration, and his choice of meter and rhyme wonderfully created a cynical and mocking feel that leaves a lasting impression on the mind. This poem runs through my head throughout the day because of its flow and song-like feeling. Also, I like poems that are cynical and bitter much more than tragic poems, although “Richard Cory was a very heart-wrenching and profound piece.

The next similarity of these two poems is that they both have a structured meter and rhyme scheme. Frost uses iambic tetrameter for his poem whereas Robinson uses iambic pentameter, but both poets keep to their chosen meter throughout their poems. Along with keeping to their meters, both Frost and Robinson keep to their chosen rhyme schemes. In “Provide, Provide,” the rhyme scheme is AAA BBB CCC etc, and in “Richard Cory” the rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD etc. I think that the use of a structured rhyme scheme helps both poets portray the theme. Both poets use their rhyme scheme and meter to create a feeling in the presentation of the theme, whether it cynical as in “Provide, Provide” or depressing as in “Richard Cory.” A perfectly structured poem solidifies the importance of the feeling it creates. Also, the use of rhyme, as well as a set meter, made the poems have a concrete structure which gave the feeling of repetitiveness. In my opinion, the repetition made the theme of outward appearances seem methodical and monotonous as if that is the only way things have ever been or will ever be done in life.

Some topics in this essay:
Richard Cory, Act IV, ABAB CDCD, Cory” Robinson, Arlington Robinson, Provide” Robinson’s, BBB CCC, Frost Robinson, Arlington Robinson’s, “provide provide”, “richard cory”, rhyme scheme, , outward appearance, richard cory, meter rhyme, cynical mocking, mocking tone, outward appearances, meter rhyme scheme, bbb ccc, structured rhyme scheme, “richard cory” robinson, third stanza “in, stanza “in fine,