THE SUBVERTED FLOWER: THE LIFE OF ELINOR WHITE FROST AND HER INFLUENCE ON THE POETRY OF ROBERT FROST

The purpose of the study was to combine literary criticism and biography in order to show the connecting links between the poetry of Robert Frost and the woman who shared his life for almost fifty years. This dissertation is a biography of Elinor Frost, which aims not only to relate her difficult life and reveal her complex personality but also to provide insights into her husband's poetry. The time period covers a span, which begins in 1892 with the high school graduation of Elinor White and Robert Frost and ends shortly after her death. Mrs. Frost was a highly intelligent, sensitive woman whose nature complemented that of her husband, and interspersed throughout the narrative are critical analyses of poems that reflect her influence. Sources of information about Elinor include unpublished letters and interviews.