# Work and Labor in New Hampshire

> Theme guide for New Hampshire by Robert Frost.

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.

## Where it surfaces

- [The Axe-Helve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/gathering-leaves): The poem centers on the labor of gathering leaves, emphasizing the repetitive and seemingly pointless nature of the task.
- [Plowmen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/chapters/plowmen): The act of plowing, typically associated with farming, is applied to snow, highlighting the absurdity and futility of labor in a harsh environment.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/themes/work_and_labor
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/new_hampshire_se/themes