Icarus 45484f

Icarus Explication In “Icarus”, a poem Edward Field, a mythological character is placed in the bustling, yet oxymoronic contemporary reality of the modern times. Allusion, syntax, irony and contrast are essential elements of Field’s relocation of Icarus, who in those techniques is immersed in an alienating and unrelenting 20th century. The drastic changes in the modern world that this poem depicts and the ancient Greek one in which Icarus used to live are heavily contrasted. Though the poem, is describes the society where Icarus lives as callous and unrelenting. The first stanza demonstrates this by stating that “the witnesses ran off to a gang war.” Not only does this express the modern community where Icarus is moved to, it is a cruel satire on urban life. There is also another contrast within the first stanza, stating that Icarus “rented a house and tended the garden.” This is a second contrast between the two different civilizations, Icarus engages a modern activity that in the Greek times, would be extremely unusual, which is essentially performing a role reversal. This contrast is ironic, yet still effective in illustrating the period in which Icarus is relocated. The first stanza subtly implies the modern and oxymoronic setting of the poem, and also presenting the immediate contrast of Icarus’s past and current surroundings. The second stanza begins with an ironic statement, describing Icarus as “that nice Mr. Hicks.” It is so because while in the original version of the Icarus, after escaping the Labyrinth with wax wings, he attempts to fly up to the sun as to reach up for the heavens, although he was instructed not to, by his father, Daedalus. This type of act in Greek time be considered defiant and disobedient; however, his neighbors in his new home describe him as “nice” within the line. This is an usage of allusion. Later in the stanza, there is another allusion, this time referring to “the genius of the hero.” This is a reference to Daedalus. He was a genius inventor, going so far as to invent the labyrinth the Minotaur was trapped in. However, this genius was not ed down to Icarus, making the statement somewhat ironic. The second stanza alone reveals Icarus’s context better, and in doing so, strengthens the third. In the final contrasts and analogies, the speaker draws attention to the tragic side of the protagonist, and also to the rhetorical question at the ending of stanza two. The speaker says that Icarus “constructs small wings” and tries to fly. Yet everytime he tries, he fails in doing so, mostly likely due to Daedalus's genius not being inherited. As literal as this section may seem, there is also the possibility that Icarus’s constant fallings represents not literal descension, but the answer to the question of stanza two. This represents his “falling” to the “middling stature of the merely talented.” Therefore, as much as is cost him, he came to the conclusion that he would be better off drowned than remain living in the Common Era society where he cannot find serenity or acceptance. Field employs some powerful techniques and literary devices in order to form content, and how it is shaped. Contrast and irony reveals the setting’s difference to Icarus’s original home. Allusion shapes the poem and its meaning profoundly, and syntax s all of these by changing the interpretation of it all. Contrast and irony are immediately evident as the poem unfolds. Ironic role reversals are the main pieces of irony, and contrasts are mainly for intent of illustrating the rift between the two radically different cultures and are also used for describing the oxymoronic poem’s setting. Irony can be found in the phrases, “that nice Mr. Hicks”, “rented a house and tended the garden”, etc. and is often paired with contrast within the lines.

There exist many references of the original myth, and all of which have absolutely no direct specification to the original myth. All references to the initial Icarus are allusions, and help the text by deepening meaning and context. Examples are “Can the genius of the hero fall to the middling stature of merely talented?”, and “Compelled the sun.” These both make reference to the Icarus myth, while still providing deeper context and power for the contrasts. The last of Field’s devices is syntax, the use of effective placement of phrases or sentences. He masterfully uses this technique by add a stanza break in the last third and second line, an interesting place for such as opposed to after the penultimate line. However, this placement binds Icarus’s new environment to his conclusion that directly relates to it, making it effective. The structure of the poem is free verse. Rhyme and meter are virtually unpresent, and line length is fixed. Stanza length and rhythm are also controlled. The speaker in the poem is a general narrator, which describes Icarus’s conflict with his surroundings in an omniscient 3rd person view, talking to the general reading audience. The speaker’s objective appears to be the description Icarus and his environment, but it could be to illustrate the changes in society from the ancient Greek times to the modern era, via relocating Icarus as a symbol for that. The theme of the poem is neutral, as the speaker gives an objective description if Icarus and what he does in his new environment. Although some description shows sadness towards Icarus’s tragedy, the tone stay somewhat consistent though the poem. The theme of the poem is about the changes to society and civilization over time, and the effects that they have on the life of those living in change. I think it is so because the depiction of his relocated home is emphasized heavily, and that it is important to the poem both directly and indirectly, and is the reason Icarus wished he had drowned in the first place. I chose this poem because I liked the many techniques and devices field used in it, and also because of the subtle layer below what it may seem. Most of all, “Icarus” is an extremely powerful and tragic story, which leads us to think about the new aspects of society, while still providing an more cruel and tragic twist than the original myth provided.