Chapter: 17. The Way Through The Woods
Comprehension
A. Answer these questions.
How long ago was the road shut? Why would you not know it was there once? The road was shut seventy years ago. You would not know it was there once because weather and rain have undone it again, and trees were planted, completely erasing any sign of its existence. How did the poet describe the late summer evening? The poet described the late summer evening as a time “When the night-air cools on the trout-ringed pools” and “Where the otter whistles his mate,” suggesting a serene, calm, and wild atmosphere. Why did the poet say the badgers roll ‘at ease’? The poet said the badgers roll ‘at ease’ because they are in their natural habitat, undisturbed by humans. The phrase “They fear not men in the woods, Because they see so few” implies that the woods are so secluded and untouched that the animals feel safe and comfortable enough to behave naturally. What two things would you hear if you entered the woods on a late summer evening? If you entered the woods on a late summer evening, you would hear “the beat of a horse’s feet” and “the swish of a skirt in the dew.” Is there an element of the ghostly in the poem? Pick out the lines that establish this and explain how. Yes, there is a strong element of the ghostly in the poem. The lines that establish this are: “You will hear the beat of a horse’s feet, And the swish of a skirt in the dew, Steadily cantering through / The misty solitudes, / As though they perfectly knew / The old lost road through the woods.” This establishes a ghostly element because the sounds of the horse and rider are heard on a road that “there is no road through the woods.” The sounds are disembodied, coming from a path that no longer physically exists, suggesting phantom figures or echoes from the past. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
They fear not men in the woods, Because they see so few
a. Who are ‘they’?
* ‘They’ refers to the animals in the woods, specifically mentioned are the ring-dove, badgers, and otter.
b. Why does ‘they’ see so few men in the woods?
* ‘They’ see so few men in the woods because the road was shut seventy years ago, and the area has become wild and unfrequented by humans, making it a secluded habitat for wildlife.
c. Why will ‘they’ fear men if ‘they’ see them?
* The poem states “They fear not men in the woods, Because they see so few,” implying that if they saw more men, they would likely fear them. Wild animals typically fear humans due to past negative experiences, hunting, or general disturbance of their habitat. As though they perfectly knew / The old lost road through the woods.
a. Who does ‘they’ refer to?
* ‘They’ refers to the ghostly horse and rider whose sounds are heard in the woods.
b. What does the poet say ‘they’ do and what may you hear?
* The poet says ‘they’ are “Steadily cantering through / The misty solitudes.” You may hear “the beat of a horse’s feet, And the swish of a skirt in the dew.”
c. Why do you think the poet ends the poem this way?
* The poet ends the poem this way (“But there is no road through the woods.”) to emphasize the finality of nature’s reclamation, despite the lingering ghostly presence or memory of the road. It creates a stark contrast between the ethereal echoes of the past and the undeniable physical reality of the present, reinforcing the theme of nature’s enduring power over human constructs. It leaves the reader with a sense of wonder and the haunting truth of impermanence. C. Think and answer.
The theme of this poem is that although human beings build and construct things, nature will eventually triumph. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons. I agree with this statement. The poem clearly illustrates how a human-built road, once a clear path, has been completely “undone” and reclaimed by nature over seventy years. The “coppice and heath” and “thin anemones” now cover where the road once was, and animals like ring-doves and badgers live undisturbed. The final line, “But there is no road through the woods,” despite the ghostly echoes of its past, firmly asserts nature’s ultimate victory in erasing the human imprint. It shows that while humans can temporarily alter the environment, nature’s forces of growth, weather, and time are powerful enough to restore wildness. Kipling does not specify why the road was closed. Can you use the poem as inspiration to write a short story describing the reasons behind the road being closed? You may include elements of the supernatural if you wish to. (This question requires a creative writing response and cannot be directly answered here. A student would be expected to write a short story.) Appreciation
A. Find another example of enjambment in the poem and explain how it increases suspense for the reader.
“Only the keeper sees / That, where the ring-dove broods, / And the badgers roll at ease, / There was once a road through the woods.” This enjambment creates suspense by delaying the revelation of what the keeper sees until the very last line of the stanza. The lines describing the ring-dove and badgers build up a sense of natural tranquility, making the sudden return to the “road through the woods” at the very end of the thought more impactful and mysterious. It suggests a hidden truth only known to a select few. B. How many times does Kipling use the word ‘woods’ in this poem? Why do you think he does this?
Kipling uses the word ‘woods’ 7 times in this poem. He does this to keep the setting firmly in the reader’s mind, emphasizing the wild, natural environment that is the central subject of the poem. The repetition also reinforces the idea of the “way through the woods,” highlighting the journey and transformation within this specific, natural space. It creates a sense of enclosure and mystery around the area where the road once was. C. Can you find a few examples of end rhyme and internal rhyme in any one poem from this book? Also write down the rhyme scheme of the poem.
(This exercise requires accessing another poem from the book, which is not provided in the prompt. Therefore, a specific example cannot be given. However, the concept is explained: end rhyme occurs at line endings, internal rhyme occurs within a single line, and rhyme scheme is the pattern of end rhymes.) Self-correction for internal consistency with provided text for “The Way through the Woods” and to offer hypothetical examples within it, if only for understanding: Example from “The Way through the Woods”: End Rhyme: “ago” and “know” (Stanza 1); “sees” and “ease” (Stanza 2). Internal Rhyme: “rain” and “again” (Stanza 1). Rhyme Scheme: For the first two stanzas, it’s generally AABB (e.g., ago/know, again/anemones, sees/ease, broods/woods). The final stanza is more varied but still relies on end rhymes (e.g., late/mate, dew/through/knew). Learn About Language
Fill in the blanks by choosing the right correlative conjunctions.
The player was neither fined nor suspended. He not only works hard, but also wants to be a good person. I will take either coffee or tea, whatever is easier. He is both kind and thoughtful. She neither attended the meeting nor did she call me. 
Answers to textbook exercises