New Hampshire · Question
How does New Hampshire develop the theme of Work and Labor?
Answer
New Hampshire by Robert Frost develops Work and Labor across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Themes of physical toil, craftsmanship (as in 'The Axe-Helve'), and the dignity or disgrace of work are central, contrasting honest labor with the shame of selling.
The chapter centers on the craft of making an axe-helve, the physical labor of chopping wood, and the pride Baptiste takes in his work.
The poem centers on the physical and emotional labor of grinding a blade, exploring the tension between effort, control, and the cost of perfection.
The speaker's business with 'different trees' and the mention of axe work on maples, birches, and tamaracks underscores the labor involved in tending to the land.
Evidence in the book
- The Axe-Helve
The chapter centers on the craft of making an axe-helve, the physical labor of chopping wood, and the pride Baptiste takes in his work.
- The Grindstone
The poem centers on the physical and emotional labor of grinding a blade, exploring the tension between effort, control, and the cost of perfection.
- Good-Bye and Keep Cold
The speaker's business with 'different trees' and the mention of axe work on maples, birches, and tamaracks underscores the labor involved in tending to the land.
- Not to Keep
The grim duty of war is portrayed as a repetitive, laborious task that both the soldier and his wife must endure.
- The Kitchen Chimney
The poem focuses on the labor of building a chimney, emphasizing the importance of doing the work correctly from the ground up.
- Gathering Leaves
The poem centers on the labor of gathering leaves, emphasizing the repetitive and seemingly pointless nature of the task.
- Plowmen
The act of plowing, typically associated with farming, is applied to snow, highlighting the absurdity and futility of labor in a harsh environment.
