Daedalus And Icarus Comparison

Decreasing morals in a society result in a downfall of one’s ideas, feelings, and emotions. Nevertheless, humans have engulfed the nonchalant idea of only caring for themselves and the world that revolves around their mindset. In “The Story of Daedalus and Icarus” Ovid distinctively describes the on-going father-son relationship between the two mythological figures. As Daedalus warns Icarus to never be too much or too little, he resents his father’s words. While Icarus was flying, he flew too close to the blazing sun, resulting in him falling in rushing waves of the nearby ocean. In similar poems written by Brueghel, Auden, and Williams, the same individual theme is presented through the allusive use of symbolism, diction, and an overriding
theme of man’s failure. Reluctantly, a wax painting by Brueghel reflects the Greek Mythology in the form of art.
The characters are shamelessly turned away from the tragedy as they continue their day-to-day occupations. If one was unaware of the story, they would assume that the humans had not noticed Icarus drowning. Evidently, the workers are well aware of the incident and refuse to acknowledge him. Paintings allow the mind to inherit what it sees, and the decisive work by Brueghel effortlessly presents the moral of no one caring for the drowning man. Auden’s brief poem also illustrates the distinct feelings covered for Icarus. “The dreadful martyrdom must run its course” alludes to the fact that bad events are impossible to avoid. One can’t live life in peace, a troublesome time will be progressive throughout everyone’s lifespan. Moreover, the cries of the needy and splash of the endangered can be ignored by one’s who possess traits of selfishness and neglect. Distinctively, Williams’s concise poem represents the same morals, but presents his ideas in a more shortened manner. The plowman is compared to Icarus in the sense of their daily life. As the plowman “sweats in the sun”, Icarus “melts wax from his wings”. Conversely, the outcome of the scenario is never mentioned, but can be inferred by the reader. The subtle expression of the fact that no one is paying attention to the man drowning is strongly expressed by
Williams. Although the interpretations are all distinctive in their constructions of literature, their overriding theme is morally equal. The upsetting failure of a man leads to nothing but sorrow and regret for one’s in dire need. Commonly, humans are called to help one in need, but human’s true colors are expressed in tiresome and distraught situations. The works of Brueghel, Auden, and Williams all allude to the harsh story of Icarus, but use different writing styles to further entail the heart-wrenching tale.