Subverting the genteel: A discussion of the open line in Robert Frost's poetry

This thesis explores a variety of poetic techniques used by Robert Frost to avoid what is known as the "genteel trap." This thesis argues that the open line technique is central to the majority of Frost's most familiar poems. The body of this thesis examines the application and effects of this technique in Frost's poetry. The poems discussed cover a period of over thirty years, from North of Boston (1914) to Steeple Bush (1947). The first chapter focuses on the use of the open line in Frost's early poetry. The second chapter deals with the move away from the open line, as well as other "anti-genteel" poetic techniques. Finally, the third chapter discusses Frost's poetic role of pundit. The emphasis throughout the thesis, however, is the illustration of the open line as an indicator of an evolution in Frost's poetic technique.