As I’ve always been a poem fanatic, I am fully aware of the
highly regard American poet Robert Frost. Growing up, I’ve enjoyed reading his
works from time to time, but as I was still young, I did not fully grasp the
meaning behind his words. After fostering the ability to analyze and interpret
texts, I believe that I am all the more competent to delve deeper into Frost’s
purpose in his short story, “The Death of a Hired Man.” In this work, Frost
outlines the themes of duty and hard work.
The story
begins with a husband (Warren) coming home from work. He is immediately greeted
by his concerned wife (Mary), notifying him of the return of their ex-farmhand,
Silas. Silas, too old and weak to work, came back to fulfill his obligation and
duty that he promised to Warren. However, feeling betrayed by Silas multiple
times as he (Silas) left Warren during the peaks of harvest, leaving him alone
when he needed someone the most. After some time of Mary convincing Warren to be
kind and go see Silas of his condition, he discovers that Silas has died.
In the
text, themes of isolation and reputation serves as a backdrop, enhancing the
core meaning of Frost’s work. Silas, wanting to make things right, returns to
fulfill his contract with Warren before he dies. He seems to want an honorable
death, surrounded by those he sees as family. However, although he came back to
his “home,” Silas passes away alone. When Warren went to tend to Silas and his
condition, he comes back sooner than expected, notifying Mary that Silas had
died with one word, “Dead.”
Despite
Silas’s bad reputation, Mary displays kindness, reminding Warren to “Be kind.”
Mary serves as a mother-figure, a symbol of love and nurture for anyone
regardless of their past experiences or background. In Biblical references,
Mary embodies the mother of humanity or Christ, insisting that man must be
loved and cared, for he is dying.
The lasting effect of this timeless poem serves to teach the
audience of reputation and the effort of relaying kindness to everyone.
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