Icarus was a young man in Greek mythology who attempted to escape from captivity by flying away with wings made of feathers and wax. His father, Daedalus, warned him not to fly too close to the sun, but Icarus ignored his advice and ultimately fell to his death when the heat of the sun melted his wings.
The story of Icarus is a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and overconfidence. Its themes have been explored in literature and art throughout the ages, from William Butler Yeats' poem "Among School Children" to the works of contemporary artists such as Banksy.
Works Cited:
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. Grand Central Publishing, 2011.
Morford, Mark P. O., and Robert J. Lenardon. Classical Mythology. Oxford University Press, 2014.
