"Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost suggest that the world will end by fire or by ice. Fire being the symbol for desire and passion versus ice that of hatred. Frost identifies the two scientific forms of the world end, by fire or by ice. By means of rhymes and understatements, Frost allows us to see his prediction.
In order to explain the view of fire symbolizing desire and passion, one must refer to the basic definition in adjective form. Fire is said to be a driving force and desire for an act. I believe Frost is referring to fire as inside the human heart forcing the drive and beat to everyone's passion in life. On the other hand fire can also reveal the end of the world by means of an eternal fire bringing about one of two ways he describes as the end of the world.
An understatement I believe can be found as Frost quotes," But if it had to perish twice."(Line 5) It seems evident that Frost is saying that if the world were to burn it wouldn't be that big of a deal like a passing thing. He concludes it by stating, "And would suffice."(Line 9) To back the understatement up it seems as though by use of first-person pronouns that the poem is just held as a personal opinion. .
When Frost speaks of hatred, however, instead of seeing it as an emotion or a feeling, like anger, he writes it as a thought. Not only a thought but also I think a conscious choice, such as, "I think I know enough of hate."(Line 6) Frost here again is implying just a mere choice or decision he has made for himself. He has decided he knows enough about hatred.
I believe Frost hints at the possible end of the world as he states," Some say the world will end in fire/ some say in ice."(Line 1-2) This understated opening seems to suggest the scientific as well as the biblical predictions about the end of the world: a world burnt in an eternal fire or a new ice age. Maybe he suggests that the world would end by hatred or desire? The poem seems to me as a prediction of how Frost views the future of the world.
