Daedalus/Icarus
Anthony Van Dyck, Daedalus and Icarus, 1625, Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada, Baroque oil on canvas painting.
Kai Levy
In the 2011 pop song “Icarus” by Bastille, the band depicts a sorrowful story of a man falling apart due to alcoholism. By comparing the man's descent caused by alcohol to that of the infamous fall of Icarus, Bastille reimagines the Greek myth into a more modern message. Because Greek myths are full of lessons and wisdom, the use of them in popular music is a popular phenomena. The themes portrayed in the original Icarus myth of ambition, disobedience, and hubris have traveled through time and through cultures. Thus, these themes are great allegories to use in modern day music, such as the song by Bastille. This paper will look at the myth of Icarus and Daedalus to illustrate the universality of themes depicted in Greek mythology and how modern artists allude to these myths to form beautiful messages.
Before analyzing the themes of Icarus, it is important to understand the myth itself. The original version of the myth came from the famous poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses. In this narrative, Daedalus and his son Icarus are trapped on the island of Crete. Daedalus, a famous inventor, creates wax wings that will allow them to fly off the island. He prepares his son to fly with him, but warns him “ If you fly too low, the sea will soak the wings; if you fly too high, the sun’s heat will burn them. Fly between sea and sun! Take the course along which I shall lead you” (Morford et al. 592). However, as they fly to escape, Icarus gets caught up with the freedom he has been given, and begins to fly too close to the heavens. As he goes off course and flies towards the sun, the wax wings melt causing him to fall into the sea and meet his demise.
This classic story has many lessons and themes to analyze. Like many other myths, the Greeks would tell others these stories to teach them important lessons and values. This is very similar to that of fairy tales such as The Three Little Pigs or The Tortoise and the Hare. Therefore, Greek Myths, much like fairy tales and folklore, pass on universal lessons about human nature. The tale of Icarus warns us to keep our hubris in check, as having too much pride and arrogance is dangerous. This universal truth is something that almost anyone from any time period could agree with, which is what makes the myth so popular.
The universality of Icarus allows for many artistic reinterpretations of the myth, as its general themes can be applied to many different concepts. This is seen in the song by Bastille. Bastille uses the theme of hubris in the myth of Icarus to connect to the hubris of a young person who drinks too much alcohol. In the very first verse, Bastille says “‘Look who's digging their own grave’. That is what they all say. ‘You'll drink yourself to death’” (Bastille). Bastille uses the warnings of the people around the drinker to mirror that of Daedalus’s warning to Icarus. However, just like Icarus, the person ignores the warnings and gives into their hubris by continuing to party. The chorus of the song continues by saying “Icarus is flying too close to the sun. And Icarus's life, it has only just begun. This is how it feels to take a fall. Icarus is flying towards an early grave“ (Bastille). With the chorus, Bastille names the connection between the alcoholic and Icarus, solidifying the connection in the listener's mind. However, by the end of the song, the person's fate is not stated. Thus it is up to the listener to decide if the person shares the same fate as Icarus, or if they learned their lesson and saved themselves. While this song alludes to Icarus, it is important to understand why. Bastille connects the act of overdrinking to Icarus to apply the lessons of the myth to that of drinking. By alluding to Icarus, Bastille warns the listener of how Hubris and arrogance can cause an alcoholic's demise. Thus, this metaphor creates a message that is stronger than if Bastille said the message outright.
In conclusion, Greek myths hold many valuable universal truths to them that still apply to us today. Through the myth of Icarus and Bastilles reinterpretation of it in their 2011 song, we analyzed how these truths can be applied to concepts and problems we face today in our culture. Thus, myths have held and will continue to hold a vital place in our lives.
Sai Sunku
The Fall of Icarus, the son who soared too close to the sun on wings crafted by his father Daedalus. A cautionary tale against ambition, hubris, and unchecked desire, it’s a timeless Greek myth that has resonated through time and inspired countless reimagining and retellings. Two such reimaginings in the realm of music are the songs “Daedalus” by Thrice and “Icarus” by Bastille, both of which take on differing interpretations of the myth, but nonetheless use it as a springboard to explore personal and very human struggles. This paper will explore my perspective on how both lyrical interpretations uniquely use the myth as a springboard to explore deeply personal and contemporary struggles, prompting introspection on ambition, self-destruction, and responsibility.
Thrice’s “Daedalus”, takes on the perspective of the anguished father, painting a desperate picture of love, fear, and regret. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the stage is set with Daedalus lamenting on how he hates living on Crete under King Minos due to his exile and yearns to escape. Thrice’s song echoes this sentiment of freedom, as the father in the song hopes to “leap from the cliff and we hear the wind sing” (Thrice) The father is torn between granting his son freedom, while also balancing his fatherly worry and caution. This is mirrored in the original myth “While he worked and gave his advice, the old man's face was wet with tears, and his hands trembled with a father's anxiety" (Morford et al. 592). Lyrics such as “But son, please keep a steady wing / And know you’re the only one that means anything to me” (Thrice) echo Daedalus’ depth of love for his son through his desperate pleas. In my opinion, there’s a heavy sense of responsibility on the father, both in the song and the original myth, on steering the son towards the right path despite challenges of ambition and outside forces. Interestingly, frontman Dustin Kensrue's recent fatherhood at the time of the song's release in 2008, may also add a layer of personal reflection on his fears as a new parent, mirroring Daedalus' own anxieties. Kensrue also actually tweeted about how the song connects to an article about migrant children being moved at the US border when their parents wanted to provide them with a better life. (Dustin Kensrue) It seems to me that Thrice took the themes of parental responsibility and yearning for freedom of the original myth, and explored how they could be applied to modern issues, prompting reflection on contemporary anxieties on borders and migration.
In contrast, Bastille’s “Icarus” focuses on the psyche of the son Icarus, rather than the father, and his internal turmoil. Instead of portraying Icarus as a victim of circumstance and greed, he is simply someone grappling with personal demons, namely addiction and alcoholism: "Look who's digging their own grave / That is what they all say; you'll drink yourself to death" (Bastille). The lyrics suggest a self-destructive tendency driven by a desire to escape and explore. Similarly in Metamorphoses, Ovid describes Icarus as "drawn by a desire to reach the heavens, took his course too high." (Morford et al. 592). But Bastille expands on this, weaving in the uncertainty and anxieties that come with growing up: “Look out to the future, but it tells you nothing / So take another breath” (Bastille). The pursuit of fleeting pleasures and adolescent ambition that Icarus exhibits are temptations that many teenagers (and young adults) can likely relate to in the modern age. This connection is emphasized by the frequent use of second person “you” throughout the song, which creates a sense of immediacy, inviting the listener to confront their own temptations and vulnerabilities, relating the experiences to the lessons from the original myth. As Bastille’s lead singer Dan Smith says, “Icarus comes from things I feel about myself and other people that I know…use characters or stories to try and move the focus away from myself and from more obvious topics.” (“Bastille Interview”) It seems to me, that for Bastille, the Icarus myth can be used as a metaphor for the pitfalls and excess and allure for indulgence in the modern age. The use of imagery like “drinking yourself to death” (Bastille) and “living beyond your years” grounds the myth in contemporary problems, making Icarus’ internal struggles and ambition feel relevant and personal to a contemporary audience.
Through their distinct interpretations, the songs offer a fresh perspective on the characters’ struggles, applying the ancient themes into modern issues. By exploring the Daedalus’ despair and feelings of responsibility and Icarus’ self-destructive pursuit of escape, these songs urge us to reflect on our own desires, vulnerabilities, and consequences of hubris. These modern interpretations remind us that the core lessons of the Icarus myth - acknowledging your limits and self-awareness - remain eternally relevant today, serving as a lens through which we can examine our own lives to strike a balance between the pursuit of freedom and responsibility.
Works Cited
Bastille. “Lyrics to ‘Icarus’.” Produced by Dan Smith & Mark Crew, Virgin Records, 2011. Genius, https://genius.com/Bastille-icarus-lyrics. Accessed February 15, 2024.
"Bastille Interview." Every Passing Car, 4 Mar. 2012, https://everypassingcar.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/bastille-interview/. Accessed February 15, 2024.
Dustin Kensrue [@dustinkensrue]. “If you like the Thrice song Daedalus, trying connecting it to what’s happening with migrant fams at US border. “All I wanted was a new life, for my son to grow up free, and now you took the only thing that meant anything to me, I will never fly again, I will hang up my wings...”” Twitter, 30 Sep. 2018, 3:04 p.m., https://twitter.com/dustinkensrue/status/1046521263487897601.
Morford, Mark, et al. Classical Mythology. 12th ed., Oxford UP, 2023.
Thrice, “Lyrics to ‘Daedalus’.” Produced by Thrice and Teppei Teranishi, Vagrant Records, 2008. Genius, https://genius.com/Thrice-daedalus-lyrics. Accessed February 15, 2024.