Icarus Compare And Contrast

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1. Icarus and Daedalus
In the myth of Daedalus and Icarus, Daedalus is described as an ingenious and talented man with ideas of incredible inventions and constructions. His son is Icarus and not much is known about this young man other than his immature carelessness in the midst of flight and his soon tragic end as the wax on his wings melted and the feathers separated. Before these events unfolded, though, there was a time when King Minos invited Daedalus and his son to the island of Crete in order to build a labyrinth to contain the Minotaur. The task at hand was completed and King Minos would then set a yearly ritual to send a tribute of seven young men and seven young women to satisfy the Minotaur’s hunger. This would go on again and again
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Theseus, son of the King of Athens, questions why young men and women are sent yearly to Crete and his father’s reply was that he did so in order to keep the calm in relationship with King Minos or a war would be waged on their country. Theseus, adamant in his quest to slay the Minotaur, does not heed his father’s warnings and sets sail as a tribute towards Crete. Ariadne is introduced as the daughter of King Minos and on notice of Theseus, falls in love him and chooses to assist him by helping him find his way back with a ball of string. Theseus confronts the Minotaur and is able to slay the beast and also finds the string which he let go of during the battle. As he nears the entrance of the Labyrinth he spots Ariadne who he takes with him on his way back to Athens, but decides to abandon her on an island where they docked. The Gods noticed his cruel treatment of the girl and punishes him by having King Aegeus witness the black sails, which Theseus had forgotten to turn to white and the king throws himself over a cliff with despair thinking his son had just fallen prey to the Minotaur. Despite his heroic actions, his fatal flaw in mistreating the girl who loved him would be the sole regret he would have to

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