Mythological Connections and Conclusions
Greek mythology provides both poets with powerful tools to explore self-discovery. Heaney directly references Narcissus with "To stare big-eyed Narcissus, into a spring, is beneath all adult dignity," suggesting his adult self has developed beyond childish self-absorption. His allusion to Echo, who faded away to just a voice after loving the self-obsessed Narcissus, cleverly implies self-discovery has no definite endpoint.
Frost takes a different approach with his mythological references. His line "My myself in the summer heaven, godlike" embraces a more self-centred vision of discovery. His frequent use of personal pronouns "me" and "myself" reinforces this individualistic journey, contrasting with Heaney's more mature perspective that acknowledges the limitations of self-obsession.
Despite their different approaches, both poets see self-discovery as something that resists clear definition. The well motif serves as the perfect symbol – depths that can be peered into but never fully explored. Frost seems more comfortable with the vanity aspect of self-reflection, while Heaney's adult perspective explicitly rejects this approach.
Remember this: You can easily compare these poems by focusing on their shared symbols (wells, reflections, whiteness) while noting how their different life stages and purposes create contrasting perspectives on the same theme.