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Icarus

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Mythological figure who ignored his father’s warning, flew too near the sun with waxen wings, and plummeted to his death.

Detailed Definition
Icarus, son of Daedalus, ignored warnings and flew too near the sun with waxen wings, causing his fall into the sea. His myth warns against hubris and overreaching ambition. In poetry, Icarus symbolizes youthful daring, the peril of idealism, and the tragic cost of defying limits.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Ovid’s "Metamorphoses," Icarus flies too close to the sun, symbolizing hubris and youthful ambition; In W.H. Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts,” Icarus’s fall goes unnoticed, illustrating human indifference; In William Carlos Williams’ “The Fall of Icarus,” the myth critiques modern apathy; In Derek Walcott’s “Omeros,” Icarus represents Caribbean aspiration and risk; In modern poetry, Icarus often signifies the artist’s dangerous pursuit of transcendence; In Tracy K. Smith’s “My God, It’s Full of Stars,” Icarus’s flight mirrors cosmic exploration.
Additional Notes
Icarus, who flew too close to the sun with waxen wings, symbolizes hubris, the peril of ambition, and the tension between freedom and limits; poets often contrast him with Daedalus to explore generational conflict or the artist’s risk—modern reinterpretations (e.g., Auden’s “Musee des Beaux Arts”) focus on the world’s indifference to individual tragedy.
Other Meanings of “Icarus”
Also Known As
Sky-Dreamer Wax-Winged Youth Son of Daedalus
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