An Analysis of "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.

This poem titled “Fire and Ice” raises a question about the fate of the world, wondering if it will more likely be destroyed by fire or ice. Both sides of the debate have supporters, and Frost introduces the narrator to display his own take on the question of the world’s end. The narrator first makes the conclusion that the world must end in fire after the consideration of experiences with desire and passion, the emotions fire is associated with. However, after considering his experience with ice, which signifies hatred, the narrator acknowledges that ice could easily be just as destructive.

In the first two lines of the poem, Frost creates a clear contrast between fire and ice and the two types of people connected to each natural element. In using the word “some” instead of “I” or a specific individual, Frost suggests that the separation between the two elements is a universal truth, not just an idea supported by one individual. Besides the obvious contradiction between fire and ice, the first lines also frame Frost’s claim that the world will end as a result of these elements, either fire or ice. It is at this point not made clear which one will destroy the world; however, they are the only options presented—something significant to note. The poem doesn’t present any additional possibilities for the cause of the world’s fate, making it a black and white debate between fire and ice, as well as their associated emotions.

Although at the surface the argument seems scientific, arguing whether the world will end in a frozen state or as a fiery inferno, Frost introduces a more emotional side through the feelings associated with the two elements. While passionate desire is connected to fire (“From what I’ve tasted of desire, I hold on to those that favor fire”) , hatred is generally associated with ice (“I think I know enough of hate, to say that for destruction ice, is also great”). This underlying emotional context creates a whole other level of understanding of the poem’s meaning. This metaphorical view of the two elements allows the world to be recognized as a metaphor for a relationship, also connecting to the relationships of the people who inhabit it. Passion and fire consume a relationship very rapidly, but the hatred of cold can destruct the relationship just as well. Frost’s poem raises the question of “which is worse”?

          While in the first two lines of the poem only allow a single choice between fire and ice, the narrator undercuts this assertion through acknowledgement that both elements could be successful in destroying the world. Also the experience of their associated emotions, which often occur in conjunction, reveals that fire and ice are not exactly mutually exclusive as suggested in the first two lines, but rather that they are equally destructive leading to the conclusion that while world will end in fire, it could just as easily end in ice. Two very different elements in reality are proven to be surprisingly similar, both possessing the power to destroy the world.