‘A Considerable Speck’ is a poem written by Robert Frost, and published in the ‘Atlantic Monthly’ in July 1939. The poem captures the journey of a living mite on a white sheet of paper that the poet uses to write about a potential topic. The central theme of the poem explores the creativity and far-fetched imagination of the human mind. The mite being the smallest and almost insignificant creature has the power to change the perception of the poet to not kill it. The poet also highlights the struggle for survival that the mite has to endure, which suggests the ability of consciousness and reasoning even in the smallest of creatures. The title of the poem is an example of an oxymoron as two contradictory terms “considerable” which suggests significant or noteworthy and “speck” which indicates a tiny spot or mark are placed together. It also foreshadows the themes of the importance of the smallest or seemingly insignificant objects.
A Considerable Speck | Summary & Analysis
A Considerable Speck | Analysis, Lines 1 – 9
A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
When something strange about it made me think,
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.
In verse 1 of the poem, the poet describes a mite that he sees on his piece of paper. The white sheet of paper, on which the poet was going to write about a potential topic, has a little speck running around it. The poet holds his pen in the air while thinking about a writing topic. When he notices the mite on the page underneath him, he considers erasing it with his ink, but “something strange” occurs and he changes his perspective. He sees that it is a living mite “with inclinations” of its own, not a dust speck that would have emerged from his breathing.
The opening verse of the poem uses a heroic couplet and an AABBCCDED rhyme scheme to emphasize the idea that, in contrast to the mite, the poet is a mighty and all-powerful being. Frost makes use of powerful visual imagery to emphasize the contrast between the little insignificant “speck” and the purity of the “paper sheet so white.” The “period of ink” and the pen held in the air, which symbolizes the poet’s ability to remove the speck off the white page, are easily visualized by the readers. The poet refers to the speck as “a living mite” in a way that conjures up the idea of a tiny bug flying around. The poet uses the figure of speech of personification, as he personifies the speech, attributing human details like “inclinations it could call its own” to the speck.
A Considerable Speck | Analysis, Lines 10 – 17
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was not yet dry;
Then paused again and either drank or smelt–
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
In Verse 2 of the poem, Frost describes the movements of the mite as he halts in suspicion of the speaker’s pen. Then, the mite races wildly where the manuscript is not yet dry. Further, the speck pauses again and it either drinks or smells the ink. Further, it does not like the ink and flies away. The poet notices that it is too tiny but has room for a set of his feet which are complete.
Verse 2 of the poem has an AABCBCDD rhyme scheme, and it reveals the spontaneity and free flow of movements of the speck. The poet uses personification to personify the speck of having human qualities to drink and smell the ink and the ability to have a suspicion of its surroundings. It challenges the aspect of insignificance attached to the tiny creature and emphasizes that it has a mind of its own. The poet also employs Hyperbole to exaggerate the tiny nature of the mite- “it seemed too tiny to have room for feet”. The verse also consists of visual imagery to describe the interactions of the speck with their surroundings.
A Considerable Speck | Analysis, Lines 18 – 29
To express how much it didn’t want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered: I could see it hesitate;
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate.
I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.
In Verse 3 of the poem, the mite expresses a desire to live and thus runs around the sheet of paper with terror. It cunningly creeps, falters, hesitates, and finally accepts its fate at the hands of the speaker. The speaker acknowledges that he does not have the emotion of “collectivistic regimenting love” which is very prevalent and can be easily found in the modern world. But the “poor microscopic item” is nothing sort of evil for the poet and thus it allows the mite to lie and he hopes for the speck to sleep.
The third verse of the poem is written in free verse and does not have a rhyme scheme, which allows the poet greater autonomy to express his or her feelings and ideas. It deals with issues of life and death as well as the speaker’s recognition of the speck’s wish to live, which gives the mite agency. It emphasizes the idea that the poet continues to be a powerful and omnipotent character in contrast to the tiny creature and reflects the speck’s struggle for survival. The speck’s frantic effort to accept its fate by cowering down is a representation of its hopelessness. The phrase “It ran with terror and cunning crept” highlights the speck’s determination to survive as well as its situation of helplessness.
A Considerable Speck | Analysis, Lines 30- 33
I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise
No one can know how glad I am to find
On any sheet the least display of mind.
Frost reveals that he has a mind and can perceive intelligence in any form, as indicated in the poem’s final line. He respects the capacity of a mind to reason and act, and he recognizes intelligence that can be found in even the most minute details and unexpected places.
The poem’s main idea is conveyed in its final verse when the poet highlights the significance of seemingly trivial objects. He highlights his capacity for decision-making, saying, “I have a mind myself and recognize“. The speaker appears to value intelligence in all of its forms, as indicated by the phrase “Mind when I meet with it in any guise” The poet acknowledges a thinking mind, which is highlighted by the use of the word “mind” repeatedly. The poet also uses metaphor to compare “the display of mind” to a practical thing that could be found “on any sheet” of paper. The poet also gives the mind a material element, implying that intelligence can be perceived and takes on a physical shape.
About the Author
Robert Frost was an American poet who frequently incorporated the themes of man, nature, and the universe which resulted in realistic details attached to his poetry. His poetry was often associated with New England culture and generally used the conventional poem form and metrics. Frost’s poetry was characterized as being straightforward and clear while also delving deeply into complicated social and philosophical issues that were grounded in everyday life through the use of American colloquial speech. A few of his well-known pieces include ‘Mending Wall’ (1914), ‘The Road Not Taken’ (1916), ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ (1923), ‘Gift Outright’ (1942), etc. He was the recipient of four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry during his lifetime.