It's important to distinguish between blank verse and free verse.
* Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter (five metrical feet, each consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable). This form is often used in dramatic works like Shakespeare's plays. While some of Frost's poems feature iambic pentameter lines, he rarely used them without rhyme.
* Free verse is poetry that does not follow a strict rhyme scheme or meter. Frost used free verse occasionally, but he is more widely known for his use of traditional forms like sonnets, villanelles, and ballad stanzas.
Here's why Frost might have avoided using blank verse extensively:
* Formality: Blank verse is often associated with grand, elevated themes and a more formal style. Frost, although a skilled craftsman, often preferred a more conversational and realistic tone.
* Flexibility: While blank verse offers a natural flow, it can also feel restrictive. Frost favored forms that allowed him more flexibility in manipulating rhythm and rhyme, creating unique effects that suited his subject matter.
* Emphasis on sound and rhythm: Frost was known for his meticulous attention to sound devices like alliteration, assonance, and consonance. He used rhyme to create musicality and texture within his poems, something that blank verse might have limited.
However, Frost did experiment with iambic pentameter lines in some of his poems. For example, the poem "The Road Not Taken" features lines that approximate iambic pentameter, although it's not strictly blank verse.
Ultimately, while Frost appreciated the power of traditional forms, he was a master of crafting his own distinctive style, often using a conversational, lyrical tone and a focus on the natural world. He achieved this through his careful selection of forms, meters, and rhyme schemes, often creating a more intimate and relatable experience for the reader.