Page 2 - fire & ice poem

KEY POINTS

• The poem has been written symbolically.
• The poet says that there are mainly two opinions about the end of this world, one by
fire and another by ice.
• The symbols-‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’ have been used for human emotions like desire and
hatred respectively.
• As fire can spread very fast and cause a great destruction in no time likewise our
desires may also prove very destructive if they go out of control.
• Hatred causes slow destruction like ice but it is also very harmful.

FIRE AND ICE - POEM AND EXPLANATION

“Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire”.

Desire- a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen
Favour- approval, support
The poem expresses the profound idea that the world would end in either of two ways, either
by ice or fire. One group is of the opinion that someday the Earth’s core will get so heated up
that it would lead to fire destroying the earth’s surface. On the other hand, the second group
says that if the temperature goes down to an extent that makes life on Earth impossible, it
would have the same catastrophic effect. The poet then compares fire and ice with the
destructive features of human emotions; desire and hatred. He says that from what he is
aware about “fiery desires”, he would favour the ones who say that it would be fire. By
saying so, he brings about the idea that human beings let their emotions rule them and the
consequence of unmonitored longing is chaos.

“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”.