CBSE Class 10 English Fire and Ice Notes: Summary, Symbols, Rhyme Scheme and Q&A 2026-27 | Nextoper Notes
What is the poem Fire and Ice about?
Fire and Ice is a nine-line poem by the American poet Robert Frost. It is part of the poetry section of the Class 10 CBSE English textbook, First Flight. The speaker wonders whether the world will end in fire or in ice. He links fire with desire and ice with hate, and says either would be enough.
Here are the key facts for Class 10 English, session 2026-27. Keep this table handy for one-mark and two-mark answers.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Poem | Fire and Ice |
| Poet | Robert Frost (1874–1963), American poet |
| Textbook | NCERT First Flight, Class 10 English, poetry section (Poem 2) |
| Form | Nine lines, printed in NCERT as a stanza of four lines and a stanza of five lines |
| Rhyme scheme | ABAABCBCB |
| First book appearance | New Hampshire (1923) |
| Voice | First person (“I”), an unnamed speaker |
| Tone | Calm, matter-of-fact and quietly serious |
| Central idea | Desire and hate can both destroy |
| NCERT glossary words | perish, suffice |
What is the summary of Fire and Ice?
In Fire and Ice, the speaker notes that some people say the world will end in fire, and others say ice. Drawing on what he knows of desire, he sides with fire. Then he adds that his knowledge of hate tells him ice would also be great for destruction, and would be enough.
Read the poem as a short argument in three moves. First, two opinions are on the table. Second, the speaker picks fire. Third, he says ice would do the job too.
Notice what Frost does not say. He does not say the world will end. He says only “if it had to”. The poem is a way of thinking, not a forecast.
There are two layers here. On the surface, the poem talks about the end of the world. Underneath, it talks about human feelings. Fire is a burning want. Ice is a cold hate. Frost uses the big idea of the world’s end to show how harmful these feelings can be.
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Who is Robert Frost, and who is the speaker?
Robert Frost was an American poet who lived from 1874 to 1963. Fire and Ice first appeared in his 1923 book, New Hampshire. In the poem, the speaker is the unnamed person who says “I”. Two groups of “some” people hold the opposite opinions. Fire and ice are the two symbols.
| Figure | Role in the poem |
|---|---|
| Robert Frost | The poet. He wrote Fire and Ice as part of his book New Hampshire (1923). |
| The speaker | The “I” of the poem. He shares an opinion based on his own experience. |
| “Some” (first group) | People who say the world will end in fire. The speaker agrees with them. |
| “Some” (second group) | People who say the world will end in ice. The speaker accepts that ice would suffice. |
| Fire | A symbol of desire. |
| Ice | A symbol of hate. |
Many readers link the speaker with Frost himself. The poem does not say so. In exams, write “the speaker” or “the poet” and stay consistent.
What does each line of Fire and Ice mean?
Each line of Fire and Ice adds one step to a short argument. Lines one and two give two opinions about the world’s end. Lines three and four give the speaker’s choice. Lines five to nine add a twist. Read the table below line by line to cover the full poem.
| Line | Plain meaning | Why this line matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. “Some say the world will end in fire” | One group expects the world to end by fire. | The poem opens with other people’s opinions, not the speaker’s. |
| 2. “Some say in ice.” | Another group expects it to end in ice. | “Some say” repeats, so both options start equal. |
| 3. “From what I’ve tasted of desire” | From his own experience of strong wanting. | “Tasted” means first-hand. His evidence is personal. |
| 4. “I hold with those who favour fire.” | He agrees with the fire group. | Fire is now linked with desire. |
| 5. “But if it had to perish twice,” | Suppose the world had to die a second time. | “But” is the turn. “Twice” is a what-if, not a fact. |
| 6. “I think I know enough of hate” | He has seen enough hate to judge. | “I think” is modest. “Enough” is quietly heavy. |
| 7. “To say that for destruction ice” | He can say ice works for destruction. | Ice is now linked with hate. |
| 8. “Is also great” | Ice is also powerful. | “Great” is an understatement. The tone stays calm. |
| 9. “And would suffice.” | Ice would be enough. | A very short last line gives a flat, final ending. |
Why this matters: he never picks a winner. The speaker “favours” fire, but he only says ice “would suffice”. Those are two different verbs. Fire is his preference. Ice is a backup that is still enough. The poem ends with a warning about both, not with a final choice.
What do fire and ice stand for in Fire and Ice?
In Fire and Ice, fire stands for desire, such as greed and lust. Ice stands for hate, such as coldness and indifference. The poem itself makes only these two links. NCERT then lists twelve words and asks you to decide which belong to fire and which to ice. Use the hot-and-cold test below.
The NCERT word list is: greed, avarice, cruelty, lust, conflict, fury, intolerance, rigidity, insensitivity, coldness, indifference and hatred. NCERT does not print an answer key. The pages we checked sort these words in different ways, so always give a reason.
| Word | Fire or ice? | Reason (hot-and-cold test) |
|---|---|---|
| Greed | Fire | It grabs for more and never cools. |
| Avarice | Fire | A burning wish to hoard. |
| Lust | Fire | A hot, restless want. |
| Fury | Fire | Hot, blazing anger. |
| Conflict | Fire | Clashes spread fast, like flames. |
| Cruelty | Either | Hot if it lashes out. Cold if it feels nothing. Explain your choice. |
| Intolerance | Ice (leaning) | It shuts others out. It can also flare up, so justify it. |
| Rigidity | Ice | Stiff and frozen. It will not bend. |
| Insensitivity | Ice | No feeling for others. |
| Coldness | Ice | The word itself says it. |
| Indifference | Ice | No care at all. |
| Hatred | Ice | The poem links ice with hate. |
Memory trick: remember “fire grabs, ice shuts out”. Fire wants too much. Ice cares too little. If a word fits both, say so and give one reason for your pick.
Why does the speaker choose fire first, then say ice would suffice?
The speaker chooses fire first because he has felt desire himself. Then he turns with the word “but” and says he also knows enough of hate to judge that ice would be great for destruction. His point is that both desire and hate can end the world. He does not rank them.
The table below maps the speaker’s argument step by step. It shows the claim and the evidence he gives for it.
| Step | What the speaker says | Evidence he gives |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Two opinions | Some say fire. Some say ice. | None yet. He only reports what others think. |
| 2. His first pick | He holds with the fire group. | “what I’ve tasted of desire” |
| 3. The twist | If the world had to end twice, ice would also work. | “I know enough of hate” |
| 4. The verdict | Ice is also great for destruction and would suffice. | Both emotions are enough to ruin the world. |
Notice that his evidence is feeling, not science. He talks about what he has “tasted” and what he “knows”. This is why the poem reads as a comment on people, not on planets.
Two ways to read the poem
| Reading | Fire | Ice | Which NCERT question uses it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literal | A burning end, such as the Sun getting too hot | A freezing end, such as the Sun growing colder | Question 1 |
| Figurative | Desire | Hate | Questions 2 and 3 |
What are the themes of Fire and Ice?
The main theme of Fire and Ice is that human emotions can destroy as surely as natural forces. Desire is one such force, and hate is another. The poem also shows two extremes of human nature, one too hot and one too cold. Back each theme with a short phrase from the poem.
| Theme | Evidence | One-line exam statement |
|---|---|---|
| The destructive power of desire | “what I’ve tasted of desire”, “favour fire” | Unchecked desire can burn up everything around it. |
| The destructive power of hate | “enough of hate”, “ice … would suffice” | Cold hate can ruin the world just as well. |
| Two extremes of human nature | Fire against ice | People can go too hot or too cold. |
| The end of the world as a figure of speech | “if it had to perish twice” | The world’s end stands for human ruin. |
| Experience as proof | “tasted”, “know” | The speaker judges from real feeling, not theory. |
Many students also write that balance is the lesson. Frost never says this in the poem. If you write it, call it an implied message, and keep it as a closing line.
Which poetic devices are used in Fire and Ice, and what is its rhyme scheme?
The rhyme scheme of Fire and Ice is ABAABCBCB. The poem also uses symbolism, repetition, contrast, understatement, enjambment and a first-person voice. Always name the device, give a short example, and add one line on its effect. NCERT asks about the rhyme scheme directly, so learn the word groups below.
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rhyme scheme (ABAABCBCB) | fire–desire–fire; ice–twice–ice–suffice; hate–great | Ties each symbol to its own sounds and keeps the argument tight. |
| Symbolism | Fire, ice | Big forces stand for human feelings. |
| Repetition | “Some say … Some say” | Gives both opinions equal weight at the start. |
| Contrast (antithesis) | Fire against ice | Shows two opposite extremes. |
| Understatement | “also great”, “would suffice” | A calm tone makes the warning feel colder. |
| Metaphor | “tasted of desire” | Experience is described as something you taste. |
| Enjambment | “for destruction ice / Is also great / And would suffice” | Lines run on and end in short, sharp steps. |
| First-person voice | “I hold”, “I think I know” | Makes the opinion personal and honest. |
The rhyme scheme, line by line
| Line | End word | Rhyme letter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | fire | A |
| 2 | ice | B |
| 3 | desire | A |
| 4 | fire | A |
| 5 | twice | B |
| 6 | hate | C |
| 7 | ice | B |
| 8 | great | C |
| 9 | suffice | B |
Rhyme check: write the scheme as ABAABCBCB with no gaps in your answer. The A sound belongs to fire. The B sound belongs to ice. That is why the rhyme helps show the contrast.
What do the difficult words in Fire and Ice mean?
NCERT gives two glossary words for Fire and Ice. Perish means die. Suffice means be sufficient. A few more words, such as desire, hate and favour, are worth knowing for meaning-based questions. Learn the NCERT meanings word for word.
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Perish | Die | NCERT glossary |
| Suffice | Be sufficient | NCERT glossary |
| Desire | A strong wish or want | Nextoper explanation |
| Hate | Strong dislike or ill will towards others | Nextoper explanation |
| Favour | Support or prefer (British spelling, as printed in NCERT) | Nextoper explanation |
| Hold with | Agree with | Nextoper explanation |
| Tasted | Experienced for oneself | Nextoper explanation |
What are the NCERT questions and answers for Fire and Ice?
NCERT asks three questions under “Thinking about the Poem” for Fire and Ice. The first asks whether the world will end and what if the Sun burst or grew cold. The second asks what fire and ice stand for. The third asks about the rhyme scheme. Each question below has a model answer.
Question 1: There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the world will end some day? Have you ever thought what would happen if the sun got so hot that it ‘burst’, or grew colder and colder?
This question asks for your own view, so give reasons. Here is a sample answer.
Sample answer: Yes, I think the world may end some day, but not soon. Scientists say the Sun will change over a very long time. If the Sun grew far too hot, the Earth would burn and life would end. If it grew colder and colder, the Earth would freeze, and nothing could live. Frost is not worried about the Sun, though. He uses these ideas to talk about human feelings.
Question 2: For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for?
For Frost, fire stands for desire, such as greed, avarice and lust. It can also include fury and conflict. Ice stands for hate, such as coldness, indifference and insensitivity. It can also include rigidity. Words like cruelty and intolerance can fit either one if you explain why.
Both are dangerous. Fire destroys through burning wants. Ice destroys through a cold lack of care. The speaker says either would be enough to end the world.
Question 3: What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the contrasting ideas in the poem?
The rhyme scheme of Fire and Ice is ABAABCBCB. Fire rhymes with desire, so the A sound stays with fire. Ice rhymes with twice and suffice, so the B sound stays with ice. The two sounds return in turn. This back-and-forth matches the contrast between fire and ice.
The C rhyme joins hate with great. It shows the speaker’s final point that hate is also powerful for destruction. The pattern keeps the poem tight and balanced.
Fire and Ice MCQs with answers: can you score 10 out of 10?
These ten MCQs test the facts you need most from Fire and Ice. Each answer comes with a one-line reason. Try them without looking at the notes, then check. These are practice questions written by Nextoper, not previous-year papers.
- Who wrote Fire and Ice? (a) William Wordsworth (b) Robert Frost (c) Walt Whitman (d) Alfred Tennyson
Answer: (b). Reason: Fire and Ice is by the American poet Robert Frost. - How many lines does the poem have? (a) Eight (b) Nine (c) Ten (d) Twelve
Answer: (b). Reason: NCERT prints a stanza of four lines and a stanza of five lines. - The rhyme scheme of the poem is: (a) ABAB CDCD (b) AABBCC (c) ABAABCBCB (d) ABCABCABC
Answer: (c). Reason: A is fire and desire, B is ice, and C is hate and great. - The speaker links desire with: (a) ice (b) fire (c) snow (d) water
Answer: (b). Reason: He favours fire “from what I’ve tasted of desire”. - The speaker links hate with: (a) fire (b) a storm (c) ice (d) the Sun
Answer: (c). Reason: He knows enough of hate to say ice would also destroy. - “Perish” means: (a) die (b) shine (c) freeze (d) agree
Answer: (a). Reason: The NCERT glossary gives “die”. - “Suffice” means: (a) be sufficient (b) be missing (c) be loud (d) be late
Answer: (a). Reason: The NCERT glossary gives “be sufficient”. - The speaker’s opinion about desire is based on: (a) a book (b) a news report (c) his own experience (d) a dream
Answer: (c). Reason: The word “tasted” shows first-hand experience. - Which line marks the turn in the poem? (a) “Some say in ice.” (b) “But if it had to perish twice,” (c) “I hold with those who favour fire.” (d) “And would suffice.”
Answer: (b). Reason: The word “But” brings in the idea that ice would also work. - The central idea of the poem is: (a) the Sun is dangerous (b) winter is cruel (c) desire and hate can both destroy (d) the world will end soon
Answer: (c). Reason: The poem warns about two harmful emotions.
What should you revise the night before the exam?
Revise six things: the summary, the two symbols, the rhyme scheme, the turn at “But”, the two glossary words and the central idea. These cover most questions on Fire and Ice. Use the checklist below, and tick each item only if you can say it aloud from memory.
- Poet and book: Robert Frost, NCERT First Flight, Class 10 English.
- Story in one line: The world may end in fire or ice. The speaker favours fire but says ice would suffice.
- Symbols: Fire is desire. Ice is hate.
- Rhyme scheme: ABAABCBCB (nine lines).
- Glossary: Perish means die. Suffice means be sufficient.
- Central idea: Desire and hate can both destroy.
- Bonus points: The poem is based on personal experience (“tasted”, “know”). “Also great” is an understatement.
Self-check: answer these aloud in ten seconds each
| Question | If you hesitated, revisit |
|---|---|
| What do fire and ice stand for? | Symbols table |
| Why does he say “but”? | Speaker’s argument |
| Write the rhyme scheme. | Rhyme scheme table |
| What is the lesson of the poem? | Themes |
What practice questions can you try for Fire and Ice?
Try the six practice questions below, written by Nextoper to match common poem-question styles. They are not previous-year papers. Short answers need about 30 to 40 words. Long answers need about 100 to 120 words. Use the Point, Evidence, Effect method to build each one.
Answer builder (P-E-E): Point is your claim. Evidence is a short phrase from the poem. Effect is what that phrase shows.
Short answer practice (30–40 words)
- Why does the speaker side with those who favour fire?
Hint: he has “tasted” desire himself. - What does the word “but” do in the poem?
Hint: it turns the poem towards ice and hate. - What does “would suffice” tell us about the speaker’s view of ice?
Hint: ice is enough, not stronger.
Long answer practice (100–120 words)
- “Desire and hate can both destroy.” Discuss this with reference to Fire and Ice.
- How does the rhyme scheme of Fire and Ice bring out the contrast between fire and ice?
Hint: A is fire, B is ice, C joins hate and great. - Explain how the poem can be read both literally and figuratively.
Hint: use the two-readings table.
Model answer for Question 4
Point: Fire and Ice shows that both desire and hate can destroy the world. Evidence: The speaker says that from what he has “tasted of desire” he favours fire. Then, using the word “but”, he adds that he knows “enough of hate” to say ice would also be great for destruction.
Effect: Fire stands for burning wants, such as greed. Ice stands for cold feelings, such as indifference. The speaker does not rank them. He says ice “would suffice”. So the poem warns us about two extremes. One burns people up, and the other freezes out care. The end of the world becomes a way to show how serious these feelings are.
What mistakes do students make in Fire and Ice answers?
The most common mistakes are writing the wrong rhyme scheme, saying Frost claims the world will end in fire, and mixing up the two symbols. Another is thinking ice is stronger than fire. Check the table below before the exam, and fix each habit with the right-hand column.
| Common mistake | Why it is wrong | Write this instead |
|---|---|---|
| “The rhyme scheme is ABAB.” | The poem has nine lines and a longer pattern. | “ABAABCBCB.” |
| “The poem has two stanzas of four lines.” | NCERT prints four lines and then five lines. | “Nine lines in two stanzas of four and five lines.” |
| “Frost says the world will end in fire.” | He reports what “some say”. He only favours fire. | “The speaker favours fire because he knows desire.” |
| “Ice is stronger than fire.” | The poem says ice is “also great” and “would suffice”. | “Ice would also be enough for destruction.” |
| “Fire stands for hate.” | The poem links fire with desire. | “Fire is desire. Ice is hate.” |
| “The world will be destroyed twice.” | The poem says “if it had to perish twice”. | “If the world had to end twice, ice would also do.” |
| “The poem is only about the Sun.” | The poem uses the end of the world to talk about emotions. | “Fire and ice stand for desire and hate.” |
| Listing words with no reason. | NCERT gives no answer key, so reasons earn the marks. | Use the hot-and-cold test: fire grabs, ice shuts out. |
Fire and Ice in 60 words: what is the short answer?
Here is a ready short answer you can read aloud or write in an exam, along with a plain summary of the whole poem.
Fire and Ice is a poem by Robert Frost. Some people say the world will end in fire, and some say in ice. The speaker favours fire because he knows desire. Then he says that ice, which stands for hate, would also be enough to destroy the world. The poem shows that both desire and hate can ruin people and the world.
Fire and Ice FAQs: what do students ask most?
These five questions cover what students most often ask about Fire and Ice. Each answer is short enough to use in an exam or to read aloud. They follow the same facts as the notes above, and each one can stand alone if you copy it into your revision notebook.
What is the summary of Fire and Ice?
Fire and Ice is a nine-line poem by Robert Frost. Some people say the world will end in fire, and some say in ice. The speaker favours fire because he knows desire. He then says that ice, which stands for hate, would also be enough to destroy the world.
What do fire and ice symbolise in the poem?
Fire symbolises desire, including greed and lust. Ice symbolises hate, including coldness and indifference. Frost makes only these two links in the poem. NCERT then asks you to sort words such as greed, fury, rigidity and indifference between fire and ice.
What is the rhyme scheme of Fire and Ice?
The rhyme scheme of Fire and Ice is ABAABCBCB. Fire and desire rhyme as A. Ice, twice and suffice rhyme as B. Hate and great rhyme as C. The poem has nine lines in all.
Why does the speaker say ice would also suffice?
The speaker says he knows enough of hate to judge that ice would also be great for destruction. Ice stands for hate, coldness and indifference. His point is that hate can ruin the world as surely as desire can.
What is the central idea of Fire and Ice?
The central idea is that human emotions can be as destructive as natural disasters. Burning desire and cold hate can both ruin people and the world. The end of the world in the poem works as a way to talk about this danger.
What should you remember about Fire and Ice?
Remember that Fire and Ice argues that desire and hate can both end the world. Fire stands for desire. Ice stands for hate. The speaker favours fire but says ice would suffice. The rhyme scheme is ABAABCBCB, and the poem has nine lines.
Use these Class 10 English Fire and Ice notes for quick revision before every test. Read the summary once, learn the symbols, and practise two answers in your own words. A clear answer with a short quoted phrase will always beat a long answer with no evidence.
Related notes
- Class 10 English First Flight notes (subject hub)
- Dust of Snow notes, Class 10 English (previous poem)
Sources
- NCERT textbooks (ncert.nic.in): Class 10 English, First Flight, Fire and Ice poem page and glossary
- CBSE Academic (cbseacademic.nic.in): official curriculum and sample papers
