Some Say...

MeltingEvgeny Grinko

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Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

Pain, hatred, indifference, and the power of choice... It was a time of post-war destruction after WWI, and a new book was laid on the table for people from all over the world to see. Among them, Robert Frost was the one who recognised the gravity of the condition at the time. He saw all the cruel aspects of human nature through the eyes of an intellectual as the world was trying to endure the misdeeds caused by the inhabitants of the Earth, and he wrote a poem by presenting two ways to the end of the world: Fire and ice.

The suggestion of a fire for the end would definitely be a harsh one. Yet, I believe that the fire mentioned here cannot always be the actual fire that we might have witnessed, blazing in bright red and casting a dark and dusty shadow on the surface where it occurred. The representation in the poem may have the characteristics of a real one, but Frost rather uses the word “fire” as an implicit metaphor to claim that something which is just as powerful as fire could bring the end of the world. This “something” might be the desire, the lust, or even the greed that people keep within themselves, which, in fact, also grows and devastates the deeds of individuals and drives the motives behind their actions. The desire to rule, the undying lust for ultimate power, and the greed towards the oppressed...

Agony and crisis brought by the fire would therefore cause the most innate element of human nature to function; that is, “to feel.” Fire embodies the utmost criteria for human emotions. It is the peak from where the peril emerges, even though on some occasions it may look benign at first glance. For “ice,” however, things change drastically. Ice brings the inability to feel any emotion towards any kind of being. While fire burns everything that crosses its path, ice just stands there to watch and witness the catastrophe in total steadiness, without the blink of an eye or lifting a finger. This contrast creates a controversial dilemma for the readers on where to position themselves while choosing their side. It also forces the readers to dwell on their understanding of human nature and questions the vulnerability to grow indifferent, which most of us are surrounded by.

Both scenarios can be effective, as Frost claims. At the beginning of the poem, he chooses to stand by the fire for the end of the world, but then, he suggests another extremity by stating, “ice would also suffice.” The transition to that line in the format of the poem is rather drastic and calm, but also robust in that Frost has no hesitation in choosing a side when any unprecedented scenario for the world’s ending is applicable and maybe needs to be experienced. He may have cast an eye over the conditions and behaviours of the individuals and the important figures that he had seen throughout his life, and come up with two possible solutions to the problem he saw the world had been suffering. To Frost, the end is inevitable and should come one day. But I believe that he cannot decide for sure in which way he wants it to arrive. He feels a rigid hatred and an anger waiting to be unleashed at the same time, which raises questions about his actual beliefs and understanding that cannot be stated with certainty.

The poem by Robert Frost reflects two sides of the same coin in an imaginative, catastrophic end of the world. Whether it shall arrive by fire or ice, no one can say for sure. But one point is quite certain: It will be devastating in that there will be more power, violence, anger, hatred, and isolation that people will possess and seek after; and, unfortunately, it is in humans’ disposition that everything becomes chaotic and unbearable, yet not by other outer elements in the nature such as fire and ice, but by the traits within the fractures of human nature functioning just as powerful as them.

Emre

WORKS CITED

1- Robert Frost, "Fire and Ice" from New Hampshire: A Poem with Notes and Grace Notes (New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1923)

2- Frost, Robert. “Fire and Ice.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 July 2025.