The narrator of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is not the focus, and so little can be inferred about him by the text, assuming he is not simply Robert Frost himself. The narrator is traveling in pursuit of a goal, either personal or business, and cannot take much time for himself. He is traveling by horse, but the only description of the horse is that it is "little" and has "harness bells," which could mean the narrator is riding the horse, or the horse is pulling a cart. The destination is far away, with "miles to go," and the narrator will probably not be stopping to rest. He may live in the immediate area; he thinks that he knows the owner of the woods who lives in a nearby village, so he is either a resident or a constant visitor. Also, the narrator may be female; there is no indication either way.

The only concrete thing known about the narrator is that he is on a long journey and that he must focus on his final goal:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
(Frost, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," eNotes eText)

The narrator's promises cannot wait, and he cannot take time for himself before fulfilling them.

Who is the speaker in "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"?

Very little can be said about the speaker on "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" in concrete terms. His name, age, profession, and place of residence are all unknown, but certain facts and inferences can be gleaned from the poem's language. The speaker of the poem is a traveler who passes through a hauntingly beautiful forest that the speaker describes as "lovely, dark and deep." The speaker and his horse are passing through the woods, which is apparently owned by a man who lives in a house in the village nearby and whom the speaker seems to know.

We also know that the speaker has not finished his journey, as he still has "miles to go" and "promises to keep;" however, he has decided to stop and simply admire the scenery and watch the "woods fill up with snow." Thus, another inference that can be made with certainty is that the speaker has an appreciation for natural beauty. Due to this sudden stop to observe the landscape, the horse feels confused.

There have been several theories about the meaning of the poem, with some critics claiming that the poem is a reflection of a rapidly developing society and the effects it has on nature and others claiming that the speaker might actually be contemplating suicide, with the lure of the dark woods standing in as a kind of resonant metaphor suggesting an early end to life's journey.