Critical Analysis of Personal Helicon by Seamus Heaney consist of introduction, definition of title, literal meaning of the poem, deeper meaning of the poem, use of imagery, use of symbols, use of Greek mythology and style.
Introduction
This poem was first published in 1966 in the book “Death of Naturalist”. The poem is dedicated to Michael Longley who is a poet and friend of Seamus Heaney.
Definition of title
Personal:
Personal means the poet’s own life and experiences/Autobiographical elements.
Helicon:
Helicon is the name of a mountain in Greek mythology where nine muses live. The streams run down from this mountain gives the power to write poetry who drink from it, means poetic inspiration. Poet was inspired by this myth. So, the title suggest that “Personal Helicon ” means The poet’s own inspiration.
Literal meanings of the poem
In Ireland there were many wells with names of saints and poet was inspired by the wells. In his childhood he plays near the wells and watched the drawing of water with the help of bucket from wells. Wells as the way of personal reflection and understanding of natural world. Wells are doorways to underground world. Poet saw the reflection of sky in well and think it that sky trapped in a well. Now poet is older and wiser. His thirst for knowledge increases.