The Use of Icarus in Mus
Comparing the use of Icarus in “Musée des Beaux Arts” and This Heavy Craft”
In Greek mythology, “Icarus” is the tale of a boy who along with his father are attempting to escape from Crete where they have been held captive. Icarus’ father constructed two sets of wings from wax and feathers. He instructed
Icarus not to fly to close to the sun as the sun will melt the wax and his wings will not stay together. However; in the midst of excitement Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wings fell apart, no longer allowing him to fly and plummeting him into the sea. Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Page’s
“This Heavy Craft” both make reference to Icarus, in contrasting ways. Whereas
Auden’s rendition speaks of a sad truth about humanity with a more negative connotation, Page’s take on Icarus is more hopeful and positive.
“Musée des Beaux Arts”, (which is French for “Museum of fine arts”) makes reference to Icarus through the painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” by
Pieter Brueghel. This painting lays out a scene of ordinary life taking place, while Icarus, in plain view is drowning in the sea. “Musée des Beaux Arts” brings forth the reality that “individual human suffering is ignored”. Page takes a more encouraging route through “This Heavy Craft”, by using Icarus as someone who was unsuccessful in the beginning but still has the motivation to keep going and try to succeed. “The wax has melted/but the dream of flight/persists” (1-3). Page makes her first reference to Icarus in the first lines of the poem, and straight from the beginning, optimism is evident. While
Auden’s poem speaks of the suffering not only Icarus but other people in general go through, Page speaks about after you recognize you have failed and still persisting to achieve what you started.
“Musée des Beaux Arts”, speaks of people called “The Old Masters”. “The Old
Masters are presented as figures of omniscience”(92), they have
In Greek mythology, “Icarus” is the tale of a boy who along with his father are attempting to escape from Crete where they have been held captive. Icarus’ father constructed two sets of wings from wax and feathers. He instructed
Icarus not to fly to close to the sun as the sun will melt the wax and his wings will not stay together. However; in the midst of excitement Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wings fell apart, no longer allowing him to fly and plummeting him into the sea. Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Page’s
“This Heavy Craft” both make reference to Icarus, in contrasting ways. Whereas
Auden’s rendition speaks of a sad truth about humanity with a more negative connotation, Page’s take on Icarus is more hopeful and positive.
“Musée des Beaux Arts”, (which is French for “Museum of fine arts”) makes reference to Icarus through the painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” by
Pieter Brueghel. This painting lays out a scene of ordinary life taking place, while Icarus, in plain view is drowning in the sea. “Musée des Beaux Arts” brings forth the reality that “individual human suffering is ignored”. Page takes a more encouraging route through “This Heavy Craft”, by using Icarus as someone who was unsuccessful in the beginning but still has the motivation to keep going and try to succeed. “The wax has melted/but the dream of flight/persists” (1-3). Page makes her first reference to Icarus in the first lines of the poem, and straight from the beginning, optimism is evident. While
Auden’s poem speaks of the suffering not only Icarus but other people in general go through, Page speaks about after you recognize you have failed and still persisting to achieve what you started.
“Musée des Beaux Arts”, speaks of people called “The Old Masters”. “The Old
Masters are presented as figures of omniscience”(92), they have