Upon my initial encounter with this sonnet, I was unable to conceive of any deeper meaning to Frost's poem other than a curious observation of a spider in nature. However, after a re-evaluation of the complexities of a sonnet we discussed in class I began to recognize that Frost was writing on a much deeper level. .
The general situation of this sonnet is a rather simple event that occurs in nature on a daily basis. In literal terms, Frost is writing about a spider that is sitting on a flower and "holding" a moth. Clearly the moth has found itself trapped in a spider-web and it soon to be the meal of the spider. .
The speaker is simply an observer or lover of nature. However, the speaker is not an ordinarily simpleminded individual. The speaker surely proves his insight and intelligence when he breaks away from his observations and asks "why?". (questioning events or ideas seems to be a sign of heightened awareness and intelligence) Upon analysis of the characteristics of the speaker, it can be concluded that the speaker and the author are one in the same. Robert Frost was both a lover and observer of nature and obviously an intelligent man. .
The poem's mood has an interesting combination of innocence and foreboding that gives evidence to the reader that Frost is speaking deeper than at a literal sense. The mood of innocence is felt in the word usage, specifically in the description of the spider and its surroundings. Frost uses visual imagery and color representation to portray a feeling of innocence in the poem. He has described the spider, the moth, and the flower as being white. This is especially interesting do to the footnote found in the poem that informs the reader that a heal-all is usually blue. This effort to focus the reader's attention on the color white shows that Frost is manipulating the images to convey a feeling of innocence, purity, and goodness.
