Education by Poetry

Education by Poetry

                The argument made by Robert Frost in his work Education by Poetry is that we should learn by poetry and metaphors.  More specifically, Frost argues that metaphors are important to understand and that we would have vast knowledge if we all knew how to think in metaphors by saying something else when really we mean another. Enthusiasm is also a key to poetry and metaphors. He writes, “Enthusiasm…is taken through the prism of the intellect and spread on the screen in a color, all the way from hyperbole at one end—or overstatement, at one end—to understatement at the other end. It’s a long strip of dark lines and many colors. Such enthusiasm is one object of all teaching in poetry” (Page 49). In this passage, Frost is suggesting that enthusiasm plays a big role in learning through poetry and using metaphors. In conclusion, it is Frost’s believe that we should learn by poetry because of the rich metaphors that are used throughout almost every piece of literature that is documented.

                In my view, Frost has an interesting point. The idea I think Frost is trying to make is that metaphors are so rich with different meanings and they cause you to stretch your brain and think a little harder than reading the literal sentences of a textbook that spoon-feed you the facts and answers. Frost also mentions enthusiasm. Enthusiasm can be a “crude” (Page 49) yelling and loud, boisterous excitement. However, Frost feels that “enthusiasm [should be] tamed by metaphor” (Page 49).If we were to express ourselves with words instead of rowdy shouting, we could stretch our knowledge and learn to express ourselves in another form. For example, reading parables in the bible can be challenging because of the symbolisms and meanings behind certain objects that normally people wouldn’t see after one quick read-through. If someone were to really to dissect the parable, they would discover a whole new world of what the verse meant instead of people likening things unto an animal, inanimate object, etc. I believe Frost would agree with my example because he himself being a poet would understand that the bible has many verses of challenging metaphors that can easily confuse someone who wouldn’t be specifically searching for the passage’s real intent. Therefore, I conclude that I do agree with Frost and that poetry would be very beneficial to stretching out knowledge to learn metaphors so we may learn another way to express ourselves.