You must be referring to the ship that's mentioned. But it's worth noting that the poem isn't just a retelling of Icarus. It's referring to a painting, specifically, "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" which is attributed to Pieter Bruegel.
Hi
In Williams's poem, a farmer is the only witness to Icarus's fall, while Auden mentions both a ploughman and a ship.
The painting "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" and the poems by W.H. Auden and William Carlos Williams focus more on the indifference of the world to Icarus's plight and the everyday nature of tragedy, rather than on the personal story of Icarus and Daedalus as in Ovid's original myth. They shift the narrative perspective to highlight the larger themes of human striving, hubris, and the contrast between individual tragedy and the rest of the world continuing on unaffected.
How normal suffering is.
Auden mentions a ploughman and a ship as witnesses to Icarus’s fall while Williams only mentions a farmer
Because it puts the focus on the meaning of suffering in the reader's life instead of on Icarus's story
In Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts," the depiction of Icarus falling into the sea while life continues on around him, oblivious to his plight, represents human suffering. This scene emphasizes the indifference of the world to individual suffering and tragedy.
the ship that watched icarcus fall (apex)
They do nothing and simply go about their day.
Auden shifts the focus away from Icarus's story by briefly mentioning it in the beginning and then delving into a reflection on the everyday struggles and sufferings of ordinary people. By juxtaposing the myth of Icarus with mundane occurrences like a farmer plowing his field or a ship sailing by, Auden invites readers to ponder the significance of suffering in their own lives rather than getting lost in the grandeur of a legendary tale. This shift in focus allows readers to connect with the poem on a personal level and contemplate the universal themes of resilience, perseverance, and the inevitability of suffering.
Both Pieter Brueghel's painting "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" and W.H. Auden's poem "Musée des Beaux Arts" explore the theme of human suffering and the indifference of the world to individual tragedies. They both depict the contrast between everyday life and moments of extraordinary significance, highlighting the idea that life goes on regardless of personal struggles or misfortunes.
Spain - Auden - was created in 1937.
Thomas Auden has written: 'Shrewsbury'