Auden Vs Williams Icarus Myth In Poetry

The myth of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun, has captivated artists and writers for centuries. Its themes of ambition, hubris, and the indifference of the world to individual tragedy resonate deeply. Two prominent poetic interpretations of this myth are William Carlos Williams's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" and W.H. Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts." Both poems draw inspiration from the same painting, likely Pieter Bruegel the Elder's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," but their poetic treatments diverge significantly. While Williams offers a concise and understated portrayal, Auden delves into a broader meditation on human suffering and the way it is often overlooked. This article will explore the distinct approaches of Williams and Auden in their poetic interpretations of the Icarus myth, focusing on their contrasting styles, thematic concerns, and the emotional impact of their respective works. We will delve into the nuances of their language, imagery, and structure to understand how each poet constructs a unique perspective on the same tragic event. By examining these two poems side-by-side, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted nature of the Icarus myth and the enduring power of art to illuminate the human condition.

Williams' Concise Depiction in "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus"

William Carlos Williams's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" is a masterclass in brevity and understatement. The poem, a mere thirteen lines long, presents a stark and seemingly detached observation of Icarus's demise. Williams focuses on the visual elements of Bruegel's painting, meticulously describing the scene: the plowman tilling his field, the ship sailing on, and the barely noticeable splash of Icarus falling into the sea. The opening lines immediately establish the setting: “According to Brueghel/ when Icarus fell/ it was spring.” This sets a tone of matter-of-factness, as if Williams is simply reporting an event rather than engaging with its emotional weight. The poem's strength lies in its deliberate lack of sentimentality. Williams does not explicitly mourn Icarus's death or condemn the indifference of the other figures in the painting. Instead, he presents the scene as it is, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. The plowman, the ship, and the shepherd continue their daily tasks, seemingly oblivious to the tragedy unfolding in the corner of the canvas. This juxtaposition of the mundane and the catastrophic is central to Williams's interpretation. The poem highlights the harsh reality that life goes on, even in the face of individual suffering. Icarus's fall, a momentous event in his personal narrative, becomes a minor detail in the grand tapestry of the world. The splash, “a splash quite unnoticed,” is a powerful symbol of this indifference. It underscores the insignificance of Icarus's death in the larger context of the world, a poignant commentary on the human condition.

The poem's structure further enhances this sense of detachment. Williams employs free verse, eschewing traditional rhyme schemes and metrical patterns. This lends the poem a conversational, almost prosaic quality. The lines are short and fragmented, mirroring the fragmented nature of human experience. The lack of closure or resolution in the poem leaves the reader with a lingering sense of unease. We are left to ponder the implications of Icarus's fall and the world's seeming indifference. Williams's use of concrete imagery also contributes to the poem's impact. He focuses on the tangible details of the painting – the plowman, the ship, the sea – creating a vivid and realistic scene. This groundedness contrasts sharply with the mythical nature of Icarus's story, highlighting the disparity between the realm of myth and the reality of human existence. The poem's final lines, “the edge of the sea/ concerned/ with itself,” are particularly striking. They suggest that nature, like humanity, is self-absorbed and unconcerned with the fate of individuals. This bleak outlook is a hallmark of Williams's modernist sensibility, reflecting a world where traditional values and beliefs have been eroded.

Auden's Broader Perspective on Suffering in "Musée des Beaux Arts"

W.H. Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts," while also inspired by Bruegel's painting, takes a broader and more philosophical approach to the Icarus myth. The poem extends beyond the immediate scene of Icarus's fall, exploring the nature of human suffering and the ways in which it is often ignored or overlooked. Auden's poem is more discursive and analytical than Williams's, offering a complex meditation on the human condition. The poem begins with a general observation about the Old Masters and their understanding of suffering: “About suffering they were never wrong,/ The Old Masters: how well they understood/ Its human position.” Auden argues that the great artists of the past recognized the inherent place of suffering in human life. They understood that suffering is not an exceptional event but a constant presence, interwoven with the everyday. This sets the stage for Auden's examination of Bruegel's painting and his interpretation of the Icarus myth. Auden emphasizes the juxtaposition of suffering and indifference, a theme that is also present in Williams's poem but explored in greater depth. He notes how the ordinary events of life – people eating, opening a window, walking dully along – continue even as profound suffering occurs. This is exemplified in the lines: “while someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;/ How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting/ For the miraculous birth, there always must be/ Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating/ On a pond at the edge of the wood.” This passage captures the mundane reality that life goes on, even in the face of extraordinary events. The children skating on the pond are oblivious to the momentous occasion of the “miraculous birth,” just as the figures in Bruegel's painting seem oblivious to Icarus's fall.

Auden's use of specific examples enhances the poem's impact. He describes the “dreadful martyrdom” and the “torturer's horse” scratching its innocent behind on a tree, highlighting the coexistence of suffering and indifference. This image is particularly poignant, as it underscores the disconnect between the victim's agony and the world's apathy. The horse, an innocent creature, is unaware of the suffering it is indirectly causing, symbolizing the world's general indifference to individual pain. When Auden finally turns to Icarus, he does so with a similar sense of detachment. He describes the scene in Bruegel's painting, noting “the ploughman that was ploughing his field” and “the expensive delicate ship that must have seen/ Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky.” However, Auden emphasizes that these figures continue with their tasks, “and did nothing about it.” This is the crux of Auden's argument: that suffering is often ignored or dismissed because it is inconvenient or disruptive. People are too preoccupied with their own lives to pay attention to the suffering of others. The poem's tone is one of detached observation, similar to Williams's poem, but Auden's tone is also tinged with a sense of resignation and sadness. He seems to accept the world's indifference as an inevitable part of human nature. This is evident in the poem's concluding lines: “the sun shone/ As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green/ Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen/ Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,/ Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.” The image of Icarus's legs disappearing into the water is a powerful symbol of his demise, but the ship's continued journey underscores the world's indifference. The ship has “somewhere to get to,” suggesting that its own concerns outweigh the tragedy it has witnessed. This final image encapsulates Auden's broader meditation on human suffering and the way it is often overlooked in the rush of everyday life.

Comparing and Contrasting the Poetic Approaches

While both Williams and Auden address the same subject matter – the fall of Icarus as depicted in Bruegel's painting – their poetic approaches differ significantly. Williams's poem is characterized by its brevity, understatement, and focus on concrete imagery. He presents the scene with a detached objectivity, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions about the significance of Icarus's fall. Auden, on the other hand, offers a more discursive and philosophical treatment of the subject. His poem is longer and more analytical, exploring the broader themes of human suffering and indifference. Auden's tone is also more resigned and melancholic, reflecting a deeper engagement with the human condition. One key difference between the two poems lies in their scope. Williams's poem is tightly focused on the specific scene in Bruegel's painting, while Auden's poem extends beyond the painting to encompass a wider range of human experiences. Auden draws on other examples of suffering and indifference, such as the “dreadful martyrdom” and the “miraculous birth,” to illustrate his point. This broader scope gives Auden's poem a more universal quality, making it a powerful meditation on the human condition. Another difference lies in their use of language. Williams's language is spare and precise, reflecting his modernist aesthetic. He employs simple words and straightforward syntax, creating a sense of immediacy and directness. Auden's language is more complex and allusive, reflecting his intellectual and philosophical bent. He uses more abstract terms and literary references, inviting the reader to engage with the poem on a deeper level.

The structure of the two poems also differs significantly. Williams's poem is a single, unbroken stanza, creating a sense of continuous observation. Auden's poem is divided into two stanzas, reflecting its two-part structure: the first stanza explores the general theme of suffering, while the second stanza focuses on the specific scene of Icarus's fall. This structure allows Auden to build his argument in a more systematic way, moving from the general to the specific. Despite these differences, both poems share a common theme: the indifference of the world to individual suffering. Both Williams and Auden highlight the juxtaposition of tragedy and the mundane, underscoring the harsh reality that life goes on, even in the face of profound loss. This theme is central to the Icarus myth, which serves as a powerful metaphor for the human condition. In conclusion, Williams's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" and Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts" offer distinct yet complementary interpretations of the Icarus myth. Williams's poem is a concise and understated portrayal of a specific scene, while Auden's poem is a broader and more philosophical meditation on human suffering. By comparing and contrasting these two poems, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted nature of the Icarus myth and the enduring power of poetry to illuminate the human condition.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both William Carlos Williams's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" and W.H. Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts" provide compelling, albeit distinct, interpretations of the Icarus myth as depicted in Bruegel's painting. Williams's concise and understated approach emphasizes the visual elements and the stark indifference of the world to individual tragedy. His poem's brevity and detached tone create a powerful sense of the mundane continuing alongside the catastrophic. Auden, on the other hand, uses the myth as a springboard for a broader philosophical exploration of human suffering and the ways in which it is often overlooked. His poem delves into the human tendency to prioritize everyday concerns over the pain of others, presenting a more analytical and melancholic perspective. While Williams focuses on the immediate scene and its visual impact, Auden expands the scope to encompass the universal human experience of suffering and indifference. The two poems, when read together, offer a rich and nuanced understanding of the Icarus myth and its enduring relevance. They demonstrate the power of poetry to illuminate the complexities of the human condition and to challenge our perceptions of tragedy, suffering, and the world's response to both. The contrasting styles and thematic concerns of Williams and Auden highlight the multifaceted nature of the myth and its ability to resonate with different artistic sensibilities. Ultimately, both poems serve as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and addressing human suffering, even in a world that often seems indifferent.