The interpretation of the poet's emotions at the end of "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is open to different perspectives, and it has been a subject of debate among literary scholars for years. The poem concludes with the following lines:
"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."
The poet's use of the word "sigh" has led some readers to believe that he may have been expressing a sense of regret or melancholy at the end of the poem. The sigh could be interpreted as a sign of wistfulness, implying that the poet is somewhat sad or contemplative about the choices he made in life. This perspective suggests that he wonders about the alternative path he didn't take and what might have happened if he had chosen differently.
On the other hand, some readers see the poem as a celebration of individuality and embracing one's unique choices. From this perspective, the sigh might be seen as one of contentment or satisfaction, expressing that the poet has come to appreciate the significance of the path he chose and the impact it had on his life.
It's worth noting that Robert Frost himself often joked about the misinterpretation of the poem and how readers would attribute the poem's message to him personally, even though he had written it with a tone of irony. He wrote the poem about a friend, Edward Thomas, who frequently regretted his choices during walks in the countryside, not about himself.
In the end, the poet's emotional state at the conclusion of "The Road Not Taken" is left somewhat ambiguous, and readers are encouraged to form their own interpretations based on their understanding of the poem's themes and their own perspectives on life and decision-making.