In most cases, a poet's life and experiences greatly influence the style and the content of their writing, some more than others. Robert Frost is one of the most renowned poets of his time, recognized for the amount of genuine, emotional insight into life and nature he was able to portray through his poetry. Born in San Francisco, but raised in New England, many of Robert Frost's poems are representations of his experiences in the northeastern parts of America. A closer look at the circumstances surrounding the composition of Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" can give us a better insight as to what the poem was intended to express. .
Frost wrote this poem on November (Frost Chronology) 1923; the same night he completed his book New Hampshire (Jackson sec. 1). Frost, "a little excited from getting over-tired"(qtd. in Jackson sec. 3), decided to venture out into the night, perhaps to wind down after a long day's work. Frost hitched his horse to a sleigh and left on his journey to eventually travel through the woods mentioned in this poem. Being in an "auto intoxicated"(qtd. in Jackson sec. 3) state, Frost was mesmerized by the scene of the woods beside the frozen lake. He eventually broke out of his trance, possibly with the aid of his horse, by thoughts of prior commitments. The former statement is shown in the text by the line "He gives his harness bells a shake to ask if there is some mistake"(L.L. 9-10) and the latter by: "But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep"(L.L. 13-14). According to Frost, upon his return home, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" "was written in a few minutes without any strain"(qtd. in Jackson sec. 1). .
Literally, "The darkest evening of the year"(L.8), refers to the winter equinox that occurs every 21st of December. If we look at it symbolically, this line could have been written to convey the peak of Frost's efforts to finish his book New Hampshire.