Icarus

Greek Mythology: Icarus By Kyle Schroeder Mark Ziccarelli Martin George

Type of Myth: Hubris/Punishments

Why: This is a Hubris because it creates fear in people and also teaches them moral values of life. It teaches people to respect authority and to be humble.

Summary

Escape from Crete:

Icarus and his father, Daedalus were imprisoned by King Minos. Daedalus was a very skilled craftsman so, in order to escape he had made wings using feathers and wax. Icarus and his father had escaped from King Minos and had flown overseas. While Icarus was enjoying the flight on his wings, his father had warned him about how to not get to close to the sun. Icarus stubbornly and boldly flew as high as he could and before he knew it the wax that held the feathers together melted. Icarus had fallen into the sea and it had led to his downfall.

Purpose: The lesson taught here is about false pride and over confidence. People that believe that they are great will fall down. Over confidence and false pride get people no where in life. Icarus was very boastful about his wings and he had believed he could do anything. His false pride let do his demise. He believed that he was the most powerful person on the earth (even better than the gods), due to his over confidence he flew too high and fell down.

Greek interpretation: Someone who tries to fly to close to the gods will suffer due to their arrogance and their self and false pride.

Modern Examples:

Many people have written songs that pertain to Icarus and his downfall, but the two famous are from Iron Maiden and Kansas (music groups).

Iron Maiden: Flight of Icarus

Kansas: Icarus (born on wings of steel)