Acquainted with the Night

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Lee Frost, is loaded with similes, metaphors, and symbols. If taken literally, the first line of the poem has no meaning. "I have been one acquainted with the night." In most poems night is a symbol for death, which it very well could symbolize in this poem, because Frost experienced many losses in his life including his father, mother, sister, and four of his six children. More or less, Frost is referring to being acquainted with death. In addition to death, this poem has several references to depression which often walks hand and hand with death. "I have outwalked the furthest city light." In this line, Frost symbolizes light as hope and is saying he has gone beyond hope in his depression. "I have walked looked down the saddest city lane." This line, Frost could be referring to a time when his depression was particularly strong. "I have passed the watchmen on his beat And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain." This quote eludes to the thought that Frost is ashamed of his depression and "unwilling to explain." The idea of depression and its stages are all depicted in this poem. Each line shows the different effect depression has on the speaker, starting with hopelessness, extreme sadness, and shamefulness.