Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

MRS ICARUS, by CAROL ANN DUFFY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography

"Mrs Icarus" by Carol Ann Duffy is another gem from her collection "The World's Wife," where she gives voice to the women behind famous mythological and historical figures. This particular poem takes a brief, humorous look at the story of Icarus from the perspective of his presumably long-suffering wife.

The poem is short but sharp, capturing the moment of Icarus’s infamous flight towards the sun which, according to the Greek myth, ends in tragedy when the wax in his wings melts and he falls into the sea. However, instead of focusing on the tragic or heroic aspects of the myth, Duffy chooses to highlight the folly of Icarus’s ambition through the eyes of his wife.

The speaker begins by acknowledging that she is neither the first nor the last "to stand on a hillock, watching the man she married prove to the world he’s a total, utter, absolute, Grade A pillock." The use of "hillock" as the vantage point subtly mocks the grandiosity of Icarus's ambitions. The language here is colloquial and dismissive, with the British slang word "pillock" (meaning a foolish person) undercutting any romantic or heroic notion one might associate with Icarus’s attempt to fly.

This viewpoint introduces a theme common in Duffy’s poetry: the idea that behind every mythological or historical narrative that glorifies male ambition, there might just be a woman who sees the folly and hubris that the men themselves cannot. The tone is wry and somewhat exasperated, suggesting that Mrs. Icarus sees her husband’s act not as an awe-inspiring quest for freedom or greatness, but as a foolhardy stunt doomed to failure.

By focusing on this perspective, Duffy is able to bring a modern sensibility to these ancient stories, critiquing the often unquestioned valorization of male heroics in myths. The poem is both a humorous commentary on the Icarus story and a more serious critique of how history and myth elevate reckless ambition over more sensible, cautious approaches to life’s challenges.

Overall, "Mrs Icarus" by Carol Ann Duffy serves as a compact but effective reinterpretation of a well-known myth, inviting readers to consider the often-overlooked perspectives of women who live in the shadows of their more celebrated male counterparts. It also invites a reflection on the personal cost of ambition and the universal experience of watching a loved one engage in self-destructive behavior.

POEM TEXT:

I’m not the first or the last

to stand on a hillock,

watching the man she married

prove to the world

he’s a total, utter, absolute, Grade A pillock.