The following poem, written by Edward Field, makes use of the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus.* Read the poem carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how Field employs literary devices in adapting the Icarus myth to a contemporary setting.
Icarus
Only the feathers floating around the hat
Showed that anything more spectacular had occurred
Than the usual drowning. The police preferred to ignore
The confusing aspects of the case,
5 And the witnesses ran off to a gang war.
So the report filed and forgotten in the archives read simply
“Drowned,” but it was wrong: Icarus
Had swum away, coming at last to the city
Where he rented a house and tended the garden.
10 “That nice Mr. Hicks” the neighbors called him,
Never dreaming that the gray, respectable suit
Concealed arms that had controlled huge wings
Nor that those sad, defeated eyes had once
Compelled the sun. And had he told them
15 They would have answered with a shocked, uncomprehending stare.
No, he could not disturb their neat front yards;
Yet all his books insisted that this was a horrible mistake:
What was he doing aging in a suburb?
Can the genius of the hero fall
20 To the middling stature of the merely talented?
And nightly Icarus probes his wound
And daily in his workshop, curtains carefully drawn,
Constructs small wings and tries to fly
To the lighting fixture on the ceiling:
25 Fails every time and hates himself for trying.
He had thought himself a hero, had acted heroically,
And dreamt of his fall, the tragic fall of the hero;
But now rides commuter trains,
Serves on various committees,
30 And wishes he had drowned.
"Icarus" by Edward Fields is such a great poem. One of the reasons that I really enjoyed it was because the story of Icarus is so old and concrete, but Edward Fields is able to take it and place it into a new world, the modern one, where the characters and their attributes are transferred. The story of Icarus was always one of my favorites. He and his father, Daedalus had been were being pursued in Crete, and to escape, his father built Icarus and himself each a pair of wings that would free him. His father warned him to not fly close to the sun, but Icarus ignored him. When he tried the wings, he became bold, flying closer and closer to the sun until the wax that his father had used to bind the feathers melted, casting Icarus into a downward spiral eventually leading to his death in the sea that is now called the Icarian Sea, after him.
ReplyDeleteEdward Fields puts a new spin on the story by using specific diction to keep the story in the modern world. Instead of using words like "thou" and "thy" which is always found in the versions that I read, he used the modern counterparts to remind the reader that this was a different world and time. He chooses words that are normal, everyday conversational words. Through his diction, he is also able to relate the separation of Icarus from his place in that mythical land to this new land where he must learn to cope with being "the middling stature of the merely talented" (20). When Fields writes that the police report simply said "Drowned." And that no one looked into it, it forces the reader to realize that he has left the land of Greek mythology and entered into modern day, as no one cares about the odd nature of the death.
Fields also employs irony in this story, with the purpose of bringing the reader to the realization that greatness doesn't last forever, especially when combined with pride. Icarus had been a genius, and now, his genius had failed him because he had allowed his pride to take over. His pride caused his ultimate downfall, and now he must learn to be a normal individual, yet he can't forget what had once made him a genius, and "constructs small wings and tries to fly". But he is unable because, he is now gone from the world where this was possible for him. And, now, when before he could fly, he must rude the "commuter train" for transportation, and this makes him wish "he had drowned." Irony abounds in this poem and is used to enforce a lesson.
Yet, while the two worlds in which he had lived are dissimilar, they are also very similar. Neither really cares what happened to him, as in the modern tale no one cares to investigate the incident, and in his old world, no one took any notice. But, the writer also seems to be reminding his audience that while in these old mythological tales there are mistakes made and consequences to deal with, these do not only live there. In the real world, hubris and selfishness can bring the same consequences on anyone who displays them. There are many individuals in our world who have fallen from greatness to mediocrity solely because they were too prideful to do what they should have, even if it was the thing that would have brought them to the highest point in their life.
Hannah,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog. It made me realize that Fields made this poem to seem like Icarus died in his earthly life (to us) and entered into his own type of hell. It is interesting think about. I also see it as a reverse death. Maybe he is a fallen angel? I love this poem, and your blog helped me to see a different side of that.
I find it funny that we chose to use different literary devices to describe this poem as contemporary. I focused more on the wording, I quickly glanced at Felicia's and saw that she used imagery, and you used irony (just one of the things you focused on). Focusing on the background of the myth helped develop a better argument as well. Well done! I truly did have realizations from your blog this week.
Maybe it’s just me, but I sometimes find it hard to enjoy a poem or short story when know I’m supposed to be searching for something else. The poem “Icarus” by Edward Fields was no exception. I truly enjoyed the poem, but had to do some other research when it came to the history behind it. Upon discovering a greater knowledge for the 20th century and rereading the poem, I was able to discover literary devices such as irony, juxtaposition, and analogies.
ReplyDeleteThe very first stanza of the poem is full of satire. In line 5 “and the witnesses ran off to a gang war” is critical to the poem because the use of satire helps explain the new urban life of “Mr. Hicks” (10). Line 6 is an oxymoron in the sense that “filed and forgotten” are things that should never go together because when things are filed they are meant to be referenced back to and never forgotten. In researching, one discovers that the ancient Greece is completely different from the new, urban setting Icarus has recently moved into.
The crime the speaker is referring to throughout the work creates a sense of irony for Icarus. This is because if he would have stayed where he was, he would be considered wrong and noncompliant but instead those mentioned in the story referred to him as “that nice Mr. Hicks” (10). The neighbors around Icarus in the poem cannot really tell the emotions that the protagonist is feeling about not being successful in his attempts to fly. To fly? Where did that come into play? The allusion “Concealed arms that had controlled huge wings” is referrening an attempt to fly and to act as a hero in the eyes of those around him. This is further in forced in the last stanza when the poem states “He had thought himself a hero, had acted heroically,/ And dreamt of his fall, the tragic fall of the hero;” (26/27).
Icarus finally realizes that he cannot discover why he chose to live in the “front yards”(16) rather than in Greece; he would have rather have drowned than “But now rides commuter trains,/ Serves on various committees,/ And wishes he had drowned” (28/29/30). He realizes that he couldn’t succeed in his attempts to fly and be the hero people needed. Fields used anaphoras and figurative language to make references to ancient Greece as well as modern times. This poem is a work of art that is full of hidden means that are excellent examples used to describe literary devices
Jess,
DeleteYour blog kind of pulled me back and forth because you made some excellent points that I had not noticed but then you also left me confused at points. You dropped terms such as "juxtaposition" and "anaphora" within your blog and yet you neither explained nor gave solid examples of them. Upon my analysis of the poem I couldn't really find them either. But you didn't really need to throw those extra, unexplained terms in your blog because the points you made were good enough to stand on their own and make a solid analysis of the literary devices.
I thought that seeing "filed and forgotten" (6) as an oxymoron was interesting. As an example it made perfect sense once you explained it and it was something I had not picked up on, and I think that was because we interpreted this poem differently. In my mind, staying in Greece was never a choice for Icarus because he was considered dead there and he was ashamed of himself. I felt as if he never doubted his choice to leave, only his choice to survive after his mistakes which he is clearly clinging to.
I was thrilled that you mentioned the allusions within this poem because there were a ton! The one you chose as an example was, I thought, one of the most beautiful and I am glad you mentioned it in the context of talking about the neighbors because an important point that Field made was that the neighbors would not have believed the story of Icarus' past. Maybe he was even saying that we as humans do not believe in myths and that is why we make the same mistakes as the greatest heros. Either way, the allusions and the modern setting tied the story of Icarus in to our life, don't you think? It was a really masterful way of approaching this poem. Good job with your analysis this week. You beautifully supported most of the literary devices you mentioned with sufficient evidence and impressed me with your ideas and interpretations.
Jessica,
DeleteI think we all have to agree with you to a certain degree on your opening sentence. Most of the time, for me at least, it seems like its harder to find something when your looking for it! I also agree, poems such as these are much more enjoyable when you know more about the history of it, in this case, the greek myth of Icarus.
I really liked how in your blog you mentioned "that nice Mr. Hicks" in your third paragraph. That is something I wanted to write of as well, but I couldn't quite find the right words to describe it. You, however, did an excellent job with that little excerpt. It really was significant to the poem as well as the story and I think you did a good job at explaining it. I am a bit confused though on your example of juxtaposition... There is none. You mentioned the literary device in your introduction, but the word doesn't appear again throughout your blog, so that threw me off a little bit. Otherwise, you had an excellent blog this weekend!
I like to think I know a decent amount about greek mythology, however, I would like to know more. I never have studied greek mythology too much, but back in middle school, my brother and I did pick up a common interest for greek mythology while we were both reading the “Percy Jackson” series. It sounds kind of silly, I know, but I honestly felt as if those books really thought a lot about greek mythology while being highly entertaining. Of course, this was middle school and middle school was about 6 years ago, so I do not remember all that much. Although, I do remember the story on Icarus! Anyway, I was excited to see that we had a poem on our blog this week that made use of greek mythology.
ReplyDeleteWithin this poem, the author Edward Field has creatively taken Icarus out of his comfort zone and placed him in the modern world. I know I have seen other writers use this idea, however i’ve only ever seen it with superhero’s and princess’s, never a greek myth. It truly is a brilliant idea.
Throughout this poem, I noticed a lot of imagery. Imagery is very powerful, and very prominent in this poem. Edward Fields does an amazing job describing details without going too far in depth as to bore the reader. I thought his use of Imagery was very useful in the third stanza especially, where Fields wrote of his appearance. “Never dreaming that the gray, respectable suit/ Concealed arms that had controlled huge wings” (11).
In the fourth stanza, I also noticed the use of rhetorical questioning. In case you didn't know, rhetorical questions may just be one of my favorite rhetorical devices. I think that when used appropriately, they are really effective in engaging the reader. Edward Field strategically placed two rhetorical questions consecutively, with one following the other. Fields poses the questions, “What was he doing aging in a suburb?/ Can the genius of the hero fall/ To the middling stature of the merely talented?” (18). These are two excellent questions in general as well, that really make the reader think not only in the context of the story, but about society as well.
All in all, I thought this poem was amazing. It was so creative for the Fields to place such a specific greek myth inside such an uncertain and ever-changing society. This poem is very thought provoking and interesting.
Felicia,
DeleteI love how you described this poem as taking "Icarus our of his comfort zone." The whole thing was very Percy Jacksonesque to me, except a lot darker and with so much more meaning. The two literary devices you picked out, imagery and rhetorical questions, were two that I also noticed and I thought you supported your thoughts very well. I especially liked your comment about how Fields dropped a "greek myth inside such an uncertain and ever-changing society" because that summarized a lot about how this poem made me feel.
I found that Field created a sense of parallelism with this poem and I think you scratched the surface of that idea. He seemed to tie the greek myth to the real issues a man suffers as he grows old by taking the fallen hero, Icarus, and showing his depression, his uncertainty, his hopelessness. This, for me, was what made the poem both relatable and fascinating.
I was pleased that you were familiar with Icarus because I had to look him up. I read his story at least five times before I did my blog and looked at nearly twenty different paintings plus a ton of other art work because everything about this story is tragically beautiful. Coming back and reading the poem after my research I realized that Field kept the theme up that I had seen in the other works. I would love to do a full analysis of this with all of the imagery, parallels, symbolism, allusions, etc along with the themes of falling from grace and the sun versus the ocean because it is so fascinating and incredible. Anyway, nice job this week. Sorry I got so off track, and keep up the good work!
Felicia,
DeleteI have to agree with you. The whole idea of Edward Fields showing off his creative side and taking Icarus out of his comfort zone is awesome! I wish I would have thought of it. Especially when one is used to living somewhere and doing one specific thing and then they're thrown into another. It's similar to being dropped in a foreign country and left to your own devices. Or even can be comparable to starting a new job and having no clue what is to come in your new position. I think this really goes back to the poem and references the last stanza about him wanting to have drowned rather than fail at flying or being a hero. I didn't really pick out the rhetorical questioning but I see where you are coming from. As for imagery, you said there was so much, and you mentioned some, but I wish you would have described a little more. Other than that, I really enjoyed your blog this week!
I'm not a huge Greek mythology fan unless it's Disney's Hercules, but I really enjoyed this poem. I know it seems like I enjoy reading and writing depressing things, however I think the setting of this poem made me feel hopeful and then crushed right at the last line. It gave me that "NOOOOOOO!" moment. I feel like at some point in our life we all wish we had drowned because it would have been easier than living with embarrassment or starting the literary specialist project. Fields found a way to take a Greek myth and make it contemporary by using descriptions like "gray, respectable suits" (11), "neat front yards" (16), and "commuter trains" (28). His feelings are also very modern, although I'm positive that people have felt depression for as long as humankind has lived. I have just seen people go through these same feelings during my short life already.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out the me the most was "filed and forgotten" (6). For most people, that's what happens when they die. It's sad, but it's true. Everyone remembers people like Marilyn Monroe, Abraham Lincoln, and Robin Williams. Do we honestly remember the thirteen year old daughter of our neighbors cousin who died in a car accident? We pray and do little things here and there, but life eventually goes back to normal for us. She became "filed and forgotten" (6) like Icarus. Time heals all wounds: sometimes with a scar, most times with nothing to show of any harm.
Icarus tries to recreate his father's success of man made wings, but he fails. "He had thought himself a hero, had acted heroically,/And dreamt of his fall, the tragic fall of the hero;" (26-27). Within these two lines "hero" is used three times. The first time he just assumed he was a hero for trying to act like one. Acting like a hero doesn't make one a hero unless they actually fulfill a heroic act (that's what I've seen in Greek mythology). He considers himself a hero for trying, but it all crashed around him. He felt defeated, and therefore considered it his "fall" (27). The worst part for Icarus is that he is constantly thinking about how his father could end up with such a failure of a son. He then refers to his father as a hero in line 20 with the question, "Can the genius of the hero fall/To the middling stature of the merely talented?" (19-20). This constant repetition of "hero" emphasizes how terribly Icarus wants to be like his father.
From a young age, I have always been told to not let my failures become me. They should be a stepping stone for the future. Icarus didn't know this or use it to his advantage. He "Fails every time and hates himself for trying" (25). This breaks my heart. I hate to see people give up on their dream because they had too many failure and not enough successes.
Like I said before, this poem is very relatable for anyone. Although our experiences may not have been as extreme, there were/are periods in our lives where we wanted to give up trying. The fact that Fields made this a contemporary piece, instead of "Ode to a Grecian Urn," I was to understand and relate to what Icarus was feeling. I honestly don't even remember what "Ode to a Grecian Urn" was about. But I can tell you that I won't forget this poem.
Kaitlin,
DeleteI must say I liked to see your point especially since you put that first line in your blog this week, "I'm not a huge Greek mythology fan unless it's Disney's Hercules." This made me interested to see how much you could pick out/understand with the allusions. You actually got a lot of it nailed down where it was, and how it played out in the original Greek myth. I must say my favorite part was not your analysis of the actual piece it was actually your third paragraph.
In your third paragraph the character acting like a hero could be taken so many different way, but I'm glad you took it the way you did. My favorite line however was "Acting like a hero doesn't make one a hero unless they actually fulfill a heroic act (that's what I've seen in Greek mythology)." If I may, allow me to further explain this "hero" concept in Greek myths. In Ancient Greek soldiers didn't fight for their country, instead they caught for "time"(Ti-mē). Time translates into glory in modern English, but back then it meant spoils of predeath. This was often seen in prizes after battle such as: armor, weapons, cattle/livestock, treasure, heirlooms, or women. So the more a warrior had of any of these belongings the greater he was known. So even a Greek hero who committed a righteous deed didn't mean anything; unless he got money, or some prize for it.
I fully agree with everything you propose in this blog. Mr. Hicks is trying to be more like his "heroic"/successful father. Every time he attempts though he fails, and "falls" into a more depressed state. Then sometimes he wishes had actually "drowned", so he would not have to go on with the struggles of life. Well done, Kaitlin.
Kaitlin,
DeleteYES! YES! YES! Your opening paragraph is on point! I think we all like to read depressing things because everyone has pain and sorrow in their lives and sometimes it's just easier to give in rather than ignore it. Making that connection between all of us wishing we had drown at one point is incredible, I never thought I'd that but I'm so glad you did. Continuing down your blog, I wish you would have spent less time explaining your opinions and thoughts and multiple analysis on the stanzas and spent more time on the rhetorical devices which is what we were asked to find. You did mention repetition which is used in a different form than the typical thought that comes to mind when the word repetition comes along. I love how you ended your blog though. I couldn't remember the specifics of "Ode to a Grecian Urn" but I also will not forget this poem.
Oh yes! You got to love those crazy Greek philosophers/story tellers. As everyone knows by now that I'm a hug Greek Myth nut. If anyone has questions I will answer them to the best of my knowledge. First thing is first, before I go crazy with the Greek aspects, the poem comes with a story that I'm assuming everyone has heard. In case you hadn't; Daedalus was a great inventor who was locked in a tower with his son Icarus. He developeded weapons of mass destruction, blueprints, and mechanisms to make human life easier. However, he was trapped by the Crete and forced to design weapons for their armies. Icarus, his son, had this fascination with birds and soaring through the skies. His father being the great inventor that he was designed a pair of wings for himself and his son, Icarus. These wings in theory were to help them escape the tower. One day they decided was best for it was clear and they could see for miles out to sea. They took the chance and surprisingly they worked great for being made of glue and feathers. Then Zeus, King of Olympus and the Skies, saw them intruding upon his territory and ordered his on son Apollo, the sun god, to increase the heat. Icarus was in absolute bliss and flew higher and higher, till the sun started to melt the glue on his wings. You can guess what happens from there he falls to his death, and his father lived on.
ReplyDeleteThe poem itself is indeed an allusion to this fabled Greek myth. However, the poet put a different spin on it and used Icarus to describe how the man died on the inside. Instead of Icarus, in this case "Mr. Hicks"(10), washed back up on shore of the city; Icarus had died. "Mr. Hicks"(10) having the same desire of human solo flight, was designing a flight suit so he could do just that. However, he lived through on crash and now "serves on various committees/and wishes he had drowned." Wait what! This throws everything through a loop, and possesses another idea to take up when considering this piece. This is only a crazy idea that I got; the speaker could've been a daredevil/stuntman. The concept of his wreck could've injured him so bad that he could no longer fly in the sky, as he did in his stunts. For example, he could've been doing a stunt flight over a pool, and when it failed he crashed into the pool. Although yes it is a long shot it is one that can be understood. This can be seen in the "gray, respectable suit"(11) could be a reference to flight suit, much like that which the military and stunt men use.
This poem could easily be taken as the actual death of a man, the death of an ambitious spirit, or a parody to the original tale without the death of Icarus. The most important thing to remember in this piece is the allusion to Greek Mythology to weigh the pros versus the cons of homemade products. Also to not take things lightly for just because you can fly doesn't mean that you should fly high to the sun. Then to apply this to the poem could be taken as a man grew too ambitious and tried to fly him; however, he died for his wings couldn't take the weight. Another way to apply the original morals is to a man who lost his ambition like the descent of Icarus after his wings had failed. All of these possibilities are indeed plausible; it might not be the exact meaning that the author sought to convey in this piece.
Devyn,
DeleteYou and I are on the same page with the whole Greek myth fan thing. The entirety of my middle school years was connecting these stories with astronomy and the different constellations. Icarus and Daedalus were actually the first two characters in Greek mythology that I was introduced to. My mom was all about educating us about every possible thing she could, and had this book on the story of the "boy who fell" which is how the story went. It was a moral story for children on the benefits of listening to their parents and not being prideful which led me into my appreciation of Greek mythology and the complexities of it.
But on to your blog, you always have such interesting opinions, and I really like how you connected Icarus with a stuntman because he has the same spirit as one, he is a daring, free-spirited person who is constantly looking for that high, and, as often happens, goes too far which leads to his demise. It was good that you laid out the background because doing that often leads to deeper revelation about the piece. Great work Devyn!
“Icarus” by Edward Field is a poem that both alludes to and adds on to the myth of Icarus and his father, Daedalus. The poem is based in a more modern setting where the “defeated” (13) Icarus has “rented a house” (9) in the “city” (8) and secretly sits “daily in his workshop” (22) trying to recreate his father’s invention. These details not only serve as an aftermath to the legend of Icarus but are also reminiscent of the idea of a man’s glory days. Icarus’ peek was when he soared through the sky, and now he has experienced a “fall/To the middling stature of the merely talented” (19-20). He “constructs small wings” (23) in a desperate attempt to regain his status as a “hero” (26) and only “hates himself for trying” (25) every time he fails to do what his father once did.
ReplyDeleteField expertly creates parallels between his poem and the legend. The “feathers floating around the hat” (1) and “the...drowning” (3) reference the death of Icarus which supposedly occurred when he flew too close to the sun, although his father warned him of this, and the wax that held the feathers to his wings melted causing him to fall into the sea and to his death. The sun is represented by “the lighting fixture on the ceiling” (24) which also symbolizes the pride and heroic stature that Icarus once possessed and now seeks. Field builds off of the idea that perhaps Icarus did not actually drown but rather that, upon falling from grace, he “had swum away” (8) and now “wishes he had drowned” (30).
Field made this poem modern and relatable by tying in the common theme of “aging” (18) with the popular legend of Icarus. The two themes are almost parallel. A man soars upon the wings of youth, up...up ignoring all warnings of the fall, until he reaches his peek and plummets into the world of “commuter trains” (28) and “various committees” (29). The tone of the poem is almost similar to that of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot in that it addresses the depression that can settle into a human’s soul as they age and insist upon clinging to the past.
There is also a sense of disillusionment here that is not only found in the seemingly inevitable fall of life but in the idea that Icarus “thought himself a hero” (26) when it was his father who constructed the wings and Icarus’ own hubris and excitement that led to his death or, in the case of the poem, life spent “aging in a suburb” (18) where everyone sees him as “That nice Mr. Hicks” (10). The story of his life and death are “filed and forgotten” (6) which serves as a point of irony because the story of Icarus would have been remembered if he had truly been a hero as he once thought he was. His hubris, which leads to his downfall, is not only shattered when he falls into the sea but also when he realizes that he is nothing more than a man, nothing more than “the usual drowning” (3).
Besides allusions, irony, and parallelism, Field forms the character of Icarus by exhibiting his doubts in the form of rhetorical questions. Field asks “What was he doing aging in a suburb?/Can the genius of the hero fall/To the middling stature of the merely talented”(18-20) and goes on to say “He had thought himself a hero” (26) to reveal the truth behind the “sad, defeated eyes” (13) of Icarus. He also employs imagery to achieve the same depth. He has trapped Icarus in a world of “neat front yards” (16) and “gray, respectable suits[s]” (11) to show the contrast between what Icarus has become and the man who once “controlled huge wings” (12) and “compelled the sun” (14). Through these techniques, Field created a poem that served to mirror and knit together the legend of Icarus and the human complex of disillusioned pride.
By the way, you should all look up "The Sun" by Merry Joseph Blondel, also known as "The Fall of Icarus." It is a beautiful painting depicting the fall of Icarus, as the title clearly states. I would have posted it with my blog but I couldn't figure out how to post a picture. That's all!
DeleteAnn,
DeleteWhile I love your blog, I would like to first comment on your comment about "The Sun" by Merry Joseph Blondel. Wow! I looked it up like you suggested and it truly is beautiful. I am wondering how you found this! Had you previously viewed works by Blondel or is it just something you stumbled upon while learning about Icarus? Either way, I am so happy that you found it and shared it with us. For anyone reading my comment, If you didn't look up the painting, please do. The painting really captures the story of Icarus is such a miraculous way. I don't know if you read this or not, but did you know it was painted on the entrance of the Louvre's ceiling to the Galerie d'Apollon? That just makes it so much better. It is amazing.
Anyway, I really do love your blog. You always do an amazing job, but this week the effort you put into this really shines through. Through all of the devices, explanations and examples you gave, there is no room for any confusion. You were confident in what you were saying as well which really makes it so much more interesting to read. Great job, Ann, and thank you again for sharing that amazing painting!
I actually really loved the poem "Icarus." I never knew the mythological story of Icarus and Daedalus behind it so I had to look that up before reading the poem. I noticed quite a few literary devices throughout the poem, but I'm going to focus on three: understatement, rhetorical questions, and satire. All of these tools really enhance the poem and the meaning behind it.
ReplyDeleteField uses several understatements in the poem when contrasting Icarus’ life with the more modern life of today. The first few lines of the poem create an understatement, “Only the feathers floating around the hat. Showed that anything more spectacular had occurred. Than the usual drowning" (1-3). This an complete understatement because in the myth Daedalus had built wings for him and his son, Icarus, to fly away from Minos who was searching for Daedalus. They flew with their wings, but the Icarus destroyed by flying to close to the sun, despite warnings from Daedalus. The few feathers floating around as describe in the poem do not give enough acknowledgment to the beautiful creation that the wings were. Another understatement in the poem is, “No, he could not disturb their neat front yards" (16). This means that Icarus could not interrupt the ordinary lives of his neighbors with his own eccentric past. He was unable reveal who he really is or else more than his neighbors’ front yards would be disturbed.
Another rhetorical device employed in this poem is the rhetorical question. Or example, Field wrote "What was he doing aging in a suburb?"(18). This is an important question because Icarus knows that he is destined to do so much more in his life than simply rot away masked as an ordinary man. This question is quite important because Icarus asks himself why he decided to accept conformity rather than be himself and expose the greatness he could achieve. Another question is "Can the genius of the hero fall to the middling stature of the merely talented?" (19-20). It seems like there is so much more inside of Icarus that is waiting to break free, but the society in which he lives is keeping him from being a true hero. Icarus has allowed himself to stay bound by the ties that society creates in order to prevent people from expressing their capabilities.
Field also utilizes satire through the use of third person in his poem. He satirizes the story of Icarus by referencing certain aspects of today's world. He is practically stating that society is boring and simpleminded, especially for a fallen mythological hero. For example, Field says how Icarus is "aging in a suburb" (18) and "rides commuter trains and serves on various committees"(28-29). I think this really helped point out how Icarus felt after his fall. He had to succumb to the normalities of society and could not be different from those around him, which sounds completely boring the way Field presents it.
As I said before, I absolutely loved this poem. I'm usually not one for mythology, but this story of Icarus was really enjoyable. Field used several literary devices to compare and contrast society and Icarus.
Natalie,
DeleteI must say I didn't think of the opening first three lines as and understatement. I saw them more as an exposition, explaining what had happened to Icarus/"Mr. Hicks." The one question I do have and wish you would've explained a little more was from your second paragraph about, “No, he could not disturb their neat front yards" (16). If he was so eccentric why would he truly care for others lawns? To me it just doesn't seem to fit the character. The main focus of Mr. Hicks in comparison to Icarus was their longing to be recognized as their fathers. It just doesn't connect for me, maybe because I didn't see the main character as Icarus.
Other than that tiny bit of confusion your blog flowed amazingly. Then you analysis was truly wonderful, and well thought out. The rhetorical question paragraph was by far my favorite for I would've never thought to use those in any blog. You used them so well that they worked towards your advantage and completed your blog. I personally would've just thrown them to the side for they only depressed the character more, and made it so much harder to analyze. Well done, and great job this week Natalie.
Natalie,
DeleteI always love to read your blogs because in your quiet, yet forceful way, you always bring really interesting opinions to the table. And, since you sometimes find it difficult to express them in seminars, you really shine in your blogs. I find that this one was no different. Understatement, who else would've interpreted those three lines that way? After you pointed it out, I saw exactly where you were coming from. I really liked that point in your blogs, because it definitely deems like the author is saying, "yes, here is this awesome person, yet no one really cares about him." He is no one in this new world but a man learning to be mediocre, when in another world he was learning to be magnificent.
I think one of my favorite lines in your blog was when you said, "He was unable to reveal who he really is or else more than his neighbors' front yards would be disturbed." It was a little bit laughable as I pictured these pristine yards with picture perfect green grass and that photogenic tree out from scattered with feathers and other paraphernalia that was blowing out of his garage. If he had revealed this, these people would be shocked, and I can see him as that eccentric neighbor that lowers the value of the street around him because of his crazy projects that go on until all hours of the night. I really enjoyed your blog Natalie, and you had some great ideas, good work!
Natalie,
DeleteI also had to look this story up. I was hoping I could analyze it without having to look it up, but of course it wasn't that easy. Hahah. I never thought Field using satire in this poem, but I can see where you got that feeling. I don't know about you but I feel the same way about Elk County at times, although I grew up in this town. I almost see it as someone living in Miami and moving to Alaska. It would be an extreme change to live where you wings were a form of transportation. I feel bad for Icarus. We all make mistakes, but his was more deadly than touching a hot stove. His hot stove killed him. Great blog! I also loved the poem.