This poem beautifully portrays the essence of humanity suffering as well as human nature to overlook suffering. The first lines talk about just how the "Old Masters" captured the reality of suffering and tragedy in beautiful art, yet how people continue to go about their daily lives in spite of these sad incidents that occur every day.
The reference to Icarus is a mythological one; Icarus was the son of Daedalus, who made wings for him out of wax and feathers so that he might fly. The boy grew too enamored of flying, and flew too close to the sun. The wax melted and he fell into the sea to his death. The poem illustrates the concept of such a devastating disaster happening, and the possible ploughmen and sailors who witnessed the fall of Icarus going on about their lives.
I find the notion of children in this poem to be interesting; Icarus was a child who was doomed by his own exuberance and curiosity, while the line, "Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating/On a pond at the edge of the wood:/They never forgot" seems to imply that there exists a natural understanding of this reality in children. Very interesting.
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I really enjoyed reading your interpretation, it helped me to understand this poem a lot better. While I understood that basics of it, you first paragraph really cleared up the meaning for me. I also like the correlation you made between Icarus and the lines about the children, I didn't make that connection at first.
ReplyDeleteyour knowledge of Icarus opened up a whole new window of interpertaion for this poem, thanks for that :)
ReplyDeleteYour explanation of Icarus really helps "solve" this poem. I had to look up the painting to really understand it, and you explain it really well. The last section on children was especially interesting, where you explain the authors beliefs on children. I think the author is full of it, but you explained it beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the previous comments. Although I already knew about Icarus when I read the poem, your analysis was very enlightening, not to mention very well written and easy to understand. I especially enjoyed your interpretation of the children in the poem, and how it impacts the poem as a whole. After reading your response, I went back and read the poem again through a new lens, and I definitely felt a better understanding the second time. I find the contrast between the Old Masters and the children very interesting, especially once Icarus comes into the picture. Do you think that while the Old Masters seem to understand how to interpret and display the nature of human suffering, the children alternatively have a better sense of humanity? And that the children can in fact relate to Icarus as a person, as opposed to glorifying the myth through beautiful art as the Old Masters do?
ReplyDeleteNice interpretation. It was good to be reminded of the story of Icarus. Thanks for that. I agree with you that this poem is devastating. It carries throughout, an eerie tone with the delicate ship sailing on calmly. Very haunting images portrayed beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of Icarus. Thank you for the explanation
ReplyDeleteThere's this great part in Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point where he tells the story of a woman named Kitty Genovese who ran screaming down the street, fleeing her attacker, in full view of her 38 neighbors. She was eventually caught and killed, and none of the neighbors did anything. This was in Brooklyn in the 1940's. While many may be quick to say that big city life hardens people to the suffering of others, a scientific study undertaken in response and referenced by Gladwell led to the discovery of something called "The Bystander Effect." It works like this: if there's a crowd of people watching one person get beaten up and scream for help, the likelihood of someone going to help the person is very low. However, if there is only one person watching, that person is very likely to help. This is because when you are just a bystander in a crowd, you always have the excuse that "someone else will do it," but when you are the only one, your conscience (usually) gets the better of you.
ReplyDeleteYour interpretation of Icarus helped my understanding of the poem tremendously. Although I got the gist of the poem during my first reading of it, it was your explanation of Icarus and the children that really drove home what point W.H. Auden was trying to make.
ReplyDeleteIts so refreshing to know that Greek myth lives on. God, I'm thrilled people know who characters like Icarus are. Haha, that makes me so happy!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNow, does anyone know who Snorri Sturlson is, what he wrote, and why it's one of the best pieces of literature ever written?
Please, PLEASE someone get back to me on that.
I'd love to talk shop about Icelandic myth and Viking history.
(HINT, It's called the Poetic Edda)