Summary of the poem Fire and Ice

                                                Fire and Ice by Robert Frost


In the poem "Fire and Ice" the poet Frost is dwelling upon the possibilities of the destruction of the world. He says that the world may be destroyed either  by the fire or by the extreme cold of hatred. Here fire means the extreme heat of passionate love and ice means the extreme cold of hatred. But there is greater possibilities of  the world to be destroyed by the extreme cold of hatred. The human beings nowadays are not philanthropic rather misanthropic. Ice also means the cold of extreme cynicism which is very destructive. Religion is now used and misused.

Ice may also mean the cold of jealousy. The poet says that the greater possibility is that the world would be destroyed through the horror of cynicism, communal hatred and jealousy. Religion teaches us love but religious orthodoxy teaches us hatred, cynicism, jealousy and all negative things. So, in this poem the poet talks about the possibilities of destruction of the world.