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  • Essay / Representation of the myth of Icarus and Daedalus in literature and painting

    WH Auden's poem, "Museum of Fine Arts", focuses on human suffering through the speaker observing the painting. Auden uses this work of art to show how self-centered people had become about the world. The painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” was painted by a Renaissance painter in which it depicts the underlying theme of ignorance of the world. In Bruegel's painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,” Icarus is depicted as an innocent victim of social ignorance. The poem “Museum of Fine Arts” by WH Auden explains why no one saved Icarus. On the other hand, Ovid's myth shows how Icarus' overambitious and ignorant character leads to his downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayThe painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” by Peter Bruegel, which refutes the myth of Icarus and Daedalus, tells a situation concerning Daedalus and Icarus. In his painting, he represents the scene where Icarus fell into the sea. Bruegel represented rural populations in real contexts; many of his works show peasants farming, going to market or celebrating the harvest. The simplicity of his painting has deeper meanings. He showed the painting in a very different way compared to the Greek myth. In the painting, many people continue their lives, for example the farmer doing his work in the fields, the person busy in different activities, the man watching the sunset and many ships in the water. Everything is perfect in the painting, but there is a person he depicted drowning in the sea, and it is believed to be Icarus. The table can be interpreted in two ways. One interpretation is that the people were so blinded by their own successes and good lives that they could not see Icarus drowning. Another interpretation is that people were so caught up in their own struggles in life that they chose not to care about others, like how the characters in the painting did not save Icarus. It can be added that people are blinded by ignorance of other people's problems. This can be seen in the painting by observing that not all the people were really looking towards Icarus. Instead, most of them moved on with their lives. The man in the lower right corner was looking at the water, but he still wasn't trying to save Icarus. Overall, the chart showed that humans had provincial views and therefore did not see other people in need of help. The poem “Museum of Fine Arts” by WH Auden was about the paintings in the Museum of Fine Arts and described many themes. It was about societal differences and human suffering. Auden later elaborates on Peter Bruegel's painting "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" in his poem and explains why the characters in Bruegel's painting did not save Icarus in the water. The writer has described some circumstances in which pain goes unnoticed and ignored. It seemed that persistent pain had become a consistent and typical part of life, described as someone "eating, opening a window, or just walking around boringly." "It also tells how individuals eat and drink, dogs continue to live their lives, and people continue to feel indifferent to the tragedies of others, such as death. The author implies that people's daily lives involve having a constant weight on their shoulders, if each were experiencing their own type of pain or struggle, it raises the question of whether or not it should help resolve the pain of the people.others. Auden explains that there is a lack of empathy in society, the world becomes impassive and self-contained. -center. Nowadays, a person's pain, tragedy and suffering are part of life, but life must go on. This theme can be seen in the quote "kids who didn't especially want it to happen." the eldest in the family would be jealous of a child born younger, as they would require more time and attention from the parents. He goes on to say that despite all these events that have happened, life will have to go on. In the poem it says: "Where dogs continue their dog lives", which describes how people have to move on even if something bothers someone, just like how children have to accept the fact that younger siblings need many things. attention. The analysis of Bruegel's painting reinforced the point of the poem. Not only that, but a reason is also provided as to why the characters in the painting did not save Icarus. Auden mentioned in his poem how “the plowman may have heard the splash, the abandoned cry, but to him it was no great failure. » He explained how the man could have heard the splashing but chose not to save Icarus because he had his own problems. These problems were a "bigger failure" than Icarus's drowning, so his drowning did not merit the plowman's attention. The exaggeration of someone putting their problems ahead of someone else's life or death situation showed how careless people were. Auden ended his poem by once again mentioning how life must go on. He said: “The delicate and expensive ship… had somewhere to go and was sailing calmly. “It was, again, an exaggeration of how even objects did their jobs. His depiction indicates that he understood that even though people endure pain, the schedule of daily life continues undisturbed. Ovid's myth of Daedalus and Icarus began in Athens. Daedalus was the best painter, stone sculptor and thinker in Athens. His method of escaping Crete was to use wax wings to fly away. Daedalus made one for himself and one for his son. Daedalus advised Icarus not to go down to the waves of the ocean nor to go up to the sun and to stay close. However, young Icarus disobeys his father. Satisfied with the magnificence and brilliance of the sun, he climbed higher than Daedalus had advised him. The sunlight dissolved the wax and the broken wings could not hold Icarus. He fell from the sky into the ocean, plummeting to his death. Daedalus felt pure sadness at his son's death, regardless of Icarus' decision to disobey. Icarus had “a radiant face which constantly captured the feathers that the moving air stirred, with his thumb he never ceased to soften the yellow wax and with his play he constantly interrupted the marvelous work of his father. » This shows how Icarus had a smile on his face as he ruined his father's work and it portrays the character of Icarus as an overly impatient child, as he was. Daedalus worked hard to provide a means of escape for him and his son, but Icarus decided to interrupt him. To continue this thought, Icarus' eagerness can be described by the quote "drawn by the desire for heaven, he took his way higher." » He was overwhelmed by the fantasy of flight and became overconfident in the feeling of his power. However, Icarus' overambitious character not only leads to his death, but also breaks his father's heart. The quote "but the unlucky father is no longer a father" shows how Icarus' ambitions.