In Robert Frost's poem "The Death of the Hired Man," the speaker reflects on the passing of their hired hand, Silas. The speaker is conflicted about Silas' death, as they seem to feel a sense of responsibility for him, but also a sense of resentment towards him.
At the beginning of the poem, the speaker is worried about Silas' health and how he will fare in the cold winter weather. They wonder if they should have done more to help him, and they express a sense of guilt for not having done so.
However, as the poem progresses, the speaker's attitude towards Silas shifts. They begin to remember all of the times that Silas has let them down and caused them trouble, and they express a sense of resentment towards him. They wonder why Silas didn't do more to take care of himself and why he always seemed to be causing problems for them.
Despite these negative feelings, the speaker ultimately decides to bury Silas on their own property, showing a sense of loyalty and a sense of responsibility towards him. They recognize that Silas was a part of their farm and their life, and they cannot simply ignore his death.
Throughout the poem, Frost uses imagery and language to convey the speaker's mixed feelings towards Silas. The speaker describes Silas as being "one of the old-stone savage armed" and "a tongue-tied migrant," suggesting that they see him as rough and primitive. However, they also describe him as being "loyal" and "faithful," showing that they do have some respect for him.
The theme of the poem is the complexity of human relationships and the difficulty of trying to understand and make sense of another person's motivations and actions. The speaker struggles to come to terms with Silas' death and their own feelings towards him, and they ultimately choose to bury him on their own property, even though they have mixed feelings about him.
In conclusion, "The Death of the Hired Man" is a thought-provoking poem that explores the complexity of human relationships and the difficulty of understanding another person's motivations and actions. It ultimately suggests that, despite our differences and conflicts, we are all connected and responsible for each other in some way.