Daedalus And Icarus: The Four Function Of Greek Myth

A main aspect of Greek culture is the importance of family. Specifically, respecting and listening to the wisdom of the elders in a family is of utmost importance. This is a valuable lesson that is taught in the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. The myth also supports two of Joseph Campbell’s four functions of a myth, and essentially provides evidence for why many Greek and universal customs are they way they are today. The story of Daedalus and Icarus is tells the tale of a father and son being punished for betraying King Minos. They are exiled to the Labyrinth, an intricate maze created to imprison the abominable minotaur. Daedalus devised a plan to escape, for he was far too intelligent for the maze. He had constructed pairs of wings so that …show more content…
In the tale of Daedalus and Icarus, the sociological and pedagogical functions are demonstrated. The sociological function is meant to give evidence for the customs of the inhabitants of the myth’s origin. As previously stated, the myth instills the idea that children should always listen to and respect their elders, which is still an important custom in Greece today. The pedagogical function is meant to be used as a guide for living. The myth does this through teaching several important lessons that are vital to surviving in the world today. One lesson taught by this myth is that in order to survive, every person should know their limits and know that they are not invincible. Icarus believed that he would be unaffected by the sun, which is extremely unrealistic. Due to this belief, he died, showing how dangerous it is not to know and respect the limits of human ability. Another lesson taught by this story was that sometimes obedience is extremely important. In cultures across the globe, children are expected to obey the rules and wisdom of the people in their lives that are older than them. Children are sometimes so young that they don’t know any better than to do certain dangerous things, which is why it is vital that they listen to their elders. Icarus’ fatal accident was a result of his decision not to listen to his father, which warns children to obey their