SKD ACADEMY
CHAPTER – DUST OF SNOW
The poet :- Robert Frost was
born on March 26, 1874 and
he left for his heavenly abode
on January 29, 1963. He was
an American poet. He wrote
on social and philosophical
themes.
Theme of the poem :- ‘Dust of
Snow’ is a poem of nature
written by Robert Frost.
Nature is a perpetual source
of pleasure and inspiration.
Nature affects the soul and
mind of a man. Nature has the
power to change the state of
mind of a person. In the
company of nature the poet
forgets his sadness and
becomes energetic enough to
work for the rest of the part of
the day.
SUMMARY
In this poem, a crow shakes
off some snow dust on the
poet who is standing beneath
a hemlock tree. This
symbolises the shaking off of
sadness from the poet's heart
and making it a better day.
The nature is a permanent
source of joy and inspiration.
The poet is upset in the
beginning of the poem but a
small incident of falling of
snow changes his mood
totally. In the end of the
poem, the poet feels relaxed
and thankful to the nature for
saving his day from being
wasted.
EXPLANATION
Stanza 1.
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Ans. The poet was standing
under a hemlock tree on
which a crow was sitting. The
crow shook the tree and the
particles of snow fell upon the
poet. The crow and the
hemlock tree represents
sorrow. The dust of snow that
is shaken off the hemlock tree
by the crow stands for joy that
Frost experiences.
Stanza 2.
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Ans. When the particles of
snow fell upon the poet , the
mood of the poet was
changed. In fact the poet was
sad initially but when the
snow fell upon him he felt
some joy. He becomes
energetic enough to work for
the rest of the day.
NCERT QUESTIONS—
Q.1 What is a dust of snow?
What does the poet say has
changed his mood? How has
the poet’s mood changed?
Ans. A ‘Dust of Snow’ means
the fine particle of snow
falling down from the hemlock
tree on the poet. It changed
the mood of the poet. In fact
the poet was sad initially but
when the snow fell upon him
he felt some joy. He became a
little energetic and became
ready to work for the rest of
the day.
Q.2 How does Frost present
nature in this poem? The
following questions may help
you to think of an answer:
1. What are the birds that
are usually named in poems?
Do you think a crow is often
mentioned in poems? Do you
think a crow is often
mentioned in poems? What
images came to your mind
when you think of crow?
2. Again, what is a hemlock
tree? Why does not the poet
write about a more beautiful
tree such as a maple or an oak
or a pine?
3. What do the ‘crow’ and
‘hemlock’ represent joy or
sorrow? What does the dust
of snow that the crow shakes
of a hemlock tree stand for?
Ans. 1. Robert Frost has
represented nature in quite a
unique manner. While in other
nature poems we come across
birds such as nightingale or
sparrows. Frost has used a
crow in this poem. A crow can
be associated with some dark,
black and unwanted fearful
things. That is why other poets
usually mention singing
nightingale or beautiful white
doves in their peoms.
2. The poet has written about
a hemlock tree which is a
poisonous tree. He has not
written about a more
beautiful tree such as a maple
or oak or pine because these
trees symbolises beauty and
happiness. Frost wanted to
symbolise the feelings of
sadness and regret and that is
why he has used a hemlock
tree.
3. The crow and the hemlock
tree represent sorrow. The
dust of snow that is shaken off
the hemlock tree by the crow
stands for joy that Frost
experiences. He has therefore
used an unconventional tree
and bird in order to contrast
them with joy in the form of
snow.
HOMEWORK
Q.1 Describe the scene in the
poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Q.2 Explain the symbols used
in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Q.3 “Nature is source of joy
and happiness” justify.
