Profs and Pints presents: “Robert Frost’s Winter,” with Michael Manson, former lecturer on literature at American University and past president of the Robert Frost Society.

“Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.”

Thus begins “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” which ranks as one of the most popular American poems of the 20th century and helped cement Robert Frost’s status as of one of our nation’s most beloved poets. As we approach the darkest evening of the year, come to the Bier Baron Tavern for a talk that will have you delighting in Frost and embracing winter, the subject of several of his poems.

Winter challenges modern urban Americans less immediately than it did Frost, who owned several New England farms. Yet the questions Frost raised through the metaphor of winter remain vital. Are humans meant to live and thrive on this planet, or is existence some cruel joke? How do we explain human resilience, the ability to keep pushing through despite the odds? Is there some force above us, in life itself, or some stubbornness at the heart of being human? What does it mean to thrive?

Frost raised questions like these in his poetry without answering them. For him, the answers are to be found in the process of making. Whether we’re making poems, keeping gardens, playing sports, building careers, or raising families, we are all turning chaos into order. “Strongly spent,” Frost says, “is synonymous with kept,” and he is inspired by those times when humans spend their lives strongly and thus keep them.

Come hear Michael Manson, a veteran scholar of Frost, read and discuss some of Frost’s poems on winter and other subjects. He’ll cover some of Frost’s best-known poems—“Stopping by Woods,” “Desert Places,” “The Wood-Pile”—as well as lesser-known works such as “Afterflakes,” “Questioning Faces,” and “Good-by and Keep Cold.” Whether you walk out with miles—or just a few blocks—to go before you sleep, you’ll leave with a different perspective on the season ahead. (Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15, save $2 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)

Time

(Monday) 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Location

Bier Baron Tavern

1523 22nd St NW Washington DC 20037

Cost

Advance ticket: $12. Door: $15, save $2 with a student ID.

Learn More

Calendar GoogleCal

16dec7:30 pm9:00 pmGloria!: A Baroque Italian Christmas7:30 pm - 9:00 pm St. Mark's Church on Capitol Hill

17dec5:00 pm10:00 pmGeorgetown GLOW Light Art ExperiencePresented by Georgetown5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Georgetown

17dec6:00 pm8:30 pmProfs & Pints: You Better Watch Out!6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Bier Baron Tavern

17dec7:30 pm9:00 pmGloria!: A Baroque Italian Christmas7:30 pm - 9:00 pm St. Mark's Church on Capitol Hill

17dec7:30 pm10:00 pmAMADEUS7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Folger Theatre

18dec5:00 pm10:00 pmGeorgetown GLOW Light Art ExperiencePresented by Georgetown5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Georgetown

18dec6:00 pm8:30 pmProfs & Pints: Wintery Fairy Tales6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Bier Baron Tavern

Event Details

Profs and Pints presents: “Wintery Fairy Tales,” an evening among ghosts, snow queens, and friendly bears, with Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman, former instructors at The Ohio State University and co-founders of the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic.

As cold winds whip through your hair, and winter’s chill bites your skin, there is little more inviting than a warm cup of tea, a cozy blanket, and a good fairy tale.

Join two engaging folklorists for a magical evening of favorite winter tales. You’ll explore realms known only to the winds, search for a kingdom of ice, and ride a polar bear. You also might find strawberries in the snow, and perhaps encounter a ghost or two.

Winter folklore often serves the dual purpose of emphasizing the dangers of the season and offering hope and possibility in the midst of the darkness. In Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” a young girl survives fierce winter magic and rescues her best friend. Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe’s “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” features a romantic quest through ice and snow, while the Japanese stories of the Yuki Onna warn of the perils of wintery love.

Sara and Brittany will guide you through these tales and more, demonstrating the cultural power of these stories that teach hope and caution in a frozen landscape. (Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15, save $2 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)