Bean’s Weblog

Week 10 blog!

Almost done…so close!

#1

Okay…I can’t seem to find anything about the poem’s inspiration on the internet, and I was told by another student that we went over it in class…apparently I was absent. Shame on me! BUT, from reading other people’s blogs I have come to the conclusion that the poem was inspired by the actual experiences of Susannah Moodie, whos son died by drowning.  I also found that the poem expresses Moodie’s resentment for losing her son and her resentment towards the country that took his life (canada?).

#2

I believe that Auden uses the myth of Icarus to show how life doesn’t stop every time something tragic happens to someone, and furthermore that something tragic to one person may not be tragic to another. The poem shows how Icarus’ plunge into the ocean wasn’t a huge tragedy to the sailors or people who saw it happen. It’s an exageration to say that today people wouldn’t care about someone falling from a great height into the ocean…but certainly some people find some things more tragic than other. As far as Icarus being associated with male experience…that’s a tough one! Perhaps the myth of Icarus could represent how young males can be very eager to do things and be free, but must learn not to get too carried away with life, and need to learn the limits of their abilities.

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