Frost uses extended metaphors, imagery, and alliteration to tell the story of a woman who is secure and does not feel obligated, but instead, acts simply out of her love for her family. “The Silken Tent” poem is an example of a Shakespearean sonnet, consisting of 14 lines of iambic pentameter.  The woman in the poem is tied to those who love her, yet she still finds freedom. Thus, Frost has written the poem in sonnet style, a form in which the text is confined by rules, but still expresses freedom. The last two lines show that there are actually confines in a woman’s life.

Frost uses metaphors to illustrate the strength and beauty of women. “The Silken Tent” is an extended metaphor for the ties of family, and the fickle nature of our own integrity.  Frost compares the woman to a “silken tent”.  The woman is the “pinnacle” or “central cedar pole” of her family. When one “rope” pulls, whether it is a child, husband, or other responsibilities, the woman is strong and loving. She can bend, yet still be able to keep the other “ropes” close to her heart. That the “silken tent” is able to withstand the “summer breeze”, or duties, is not because of its central support, but through the support of its “ties”, or family.

In addition to metaphors, Frost uses imagery.  The poem speaks of soft settings, such as a “summer breeze. Every syllable and sound to the poem signifies and supports a soft feeling that Frost conveys. Even when tied down, Frost describes the woman as “loosely bound by countless silken ties of love and thought”, giving the reader the clear image of a woman who has very close ties to her family.

Frost also uses soft alliteration in “The Silken Tent”.  Some examples of alliteration in the poem include “sways at ease”, “central cedar”, and “signifies the sureness of the soul”.  With alliteration, the poem has a deeper effect, making it reflective and thoughtful.  Soft words are used throughout the poem to echo the softness of women.

“The Silken Tent” tells the story of woman who is beautiful, free and secure yet, has the “ties”, or responsibilities to her family.  Silk, while very soft, is a strong material; therefore, Frost uses a “silken tent” to signify a strong woman, and the “silken ties” to signify the woman’s ties to family. The final couplet suggests that while the woman is independent and self-assured, she is bound by the responsibilities to her family.