Literature Group
Question:
vladik1
Student
High School - 9th Grade
Explain what Daedalus means by these words:
Cursed be the skill that wrought my son’s destruction.
These words are spoken by the character of Daedalus at the end of the myth of the same name.
In your answer, be sure to:
· Identify the “skill” to which he refers
· Explain what he is feeling at this moment and why
· Use details from the myth to support your answer
Answers:
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accessteacher Teacher
High School - 10th GradeeNotes Editor
Posted by accessteacher on Friday March 13, 2009 at 6:00 AMDaedalus spoke these words in response to his son's death. Daedalus was an amazing inventor and was commissioned to make a labyrinth for Minos, King of Crete. Legend suggests that Minos locked Daedalus and his son, Icarus, up in a tower for revealing the secret of the labyrinth. Every the inventor, Daedalus fashioned two sets of wings together, sticking the feathers on with wax. Daedalus and Icarus then strapped on the wings and escaped, flying off into the sky. Icarus, however, was so enthralled at being able to fly he went higher and higher, closer and closer to the sun. The sun's warmth melted the wax, his wings collapsed and Icarus fell to the sea and died.
Daedalus is obviously incredibly distraught, thus causing him to curse his incredible gift of invention, which has brought his son's death. If he didn't have this "skill", his son would still be alive and they would be together.
