Icarus. Nik Belov
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ambitious spirit. Nevertheless, as the moment of his flight approaches, the significance of Sicily begins to fade like the morning mist, superseded by the pure ecstasy of the impending flight. And so, Icarus proves his inherent imperfection. However, I might say, there is some nobility to capture in his apparent insanity, for it is through the seemingly irrational pursuit that he seeks to discover his authentic self, the so-called “true purpose”. Though he may possess the potential for being the mythmaker, much like Daedalus, Icarus stands yet unproven and his story totally unwritten. Therefore, as he stands upon the threshold of destiny, poised on the seashore, his eyes waver enigmatically between two beacons, that is, the promise of Sicily and the mesmerising brilliance of the sun, those twin lodestars that captivate him equally – one with the concrete comforting reality, and the other with the perilous allure. In these very moments, Icarus exemplifies the struggle between the attainable and the transcendent, between the true love and his very undoing.
In his consciousness, he looks upward towards his creator, Daedalus, while beginning to perceive the boundless possibilities of his own inventive spirit. As if an ailing philosopher, and I suppose he might end up being a true one, pondering the nature of creation, Icarus reasons that being born of the master craftsman bestows upon him this “divine spark” of transformation – the ability to reshape reality according to his very will. Yet, there lies a tragic uncertainty in whether Icarus can ever achieve even a modest portion of the brilliance of the Creator, for Icarus, despite his inheritance and soaring aspirations, unwittingly enters into the dialectical struggle not merely with the transcendental realms above, but with the very self. In his struggle, he confronts each and every limitation – a longing truth that may dawn upon him only in those final moments of his flight and an eventual fall. And with that, I understand him. I much do.
III
Along the windswept seashore, amidst the mundane tasks of gathering scattered feathers and netting fish, Icarus found himself consumed by an overwhelming ennui; Icarus is bored with the very life. Indeed, from the very genesis of his existence, a sense of disgust had taken root in his soul. I perceive that Icarus must harbor the great contempt for the ordinary fate that befalls common mortals, and such a contempt fuels his relentless crusade against the mundane. The tranquil earthbound existence and love that humanity cherishes, that peaceful quotidian happiness that others hold dear, holds no allure for him. But he was once truly in love. Now, bereft of even these simple pleasures, the aspirations of Icarus soar towards the infinite, despite lacking the very means to even fly. Ultimately, his thoughts, powerful and transformative, possess the remarkable ability to materialise into reality, enabling him to craft his own story as he prepares for his momentous ascension alongside the Creator. A pertinent query emerges – is it not that Daedalus extends the invitation to Icarus to soar towards the island Sicily, the object of his deepest love? In truth, Icarus does not possess even the fundamental capability to construct his wings without the guidance of the Creator – the father against whom he has already staged a silent rebellion in the depths of his heart. Icarus, much like humanity, harbours an unwavering belief in his supremacy over the material and cosmic design. Even before his feet leave the earth, Icarus begins to weave elaborate tapestries of his destined greatness. In his mind’s eye, he sees himself a mythmaker of equal standing to his father, if not even greater in freedom. Precisely, I am unable to cast assertion upon Icarus; his youth and folly are intrinsically intertwined, his thoughts bold and unfettered. Yet, paradoxically, these very qualities evoke an increasing sense of revulsion inside my heart. With each passing moment, I discern more parallels between him and me, as though I were gazing into the fractured mirror, the shattered pieces of which gradually coalesce to reveal my true essence. The reflection that emerges is both unsettling and illuminating – a distorted, yet unflinchingly truthful portrayal. Much as the butterfly caught in an endless spiral, unable to find the perch, I find myself stunned and riveted by the discordant truth, perpetually falling and reaching my death, not even in the midst of our dialogue. And no, think not that I am concealing behind a facade, I am merely conversing with both you and me at the same time, as once was customary and yet loathsomely to acknowledge.
In the scheme of parallels, Icarus bears a striking resemblance to another divinely created being whose flatulent aspirations led to his spectacular downfall. As it is, Icarus embodies Lucifer, or rather his characteristics with precision, however, one must exercise caution in equating Icarus with the devil or even the demonic entity, for Lucifer possesses a far more nuanced understanding of his role within the divine architecture of the Creator. It is in the very existence of Lucifer to stand in opposition to the design of the Creator, perpetually engaging in the state of attempted flight and inevitable descent. Nevertheless, the symbolic parallel of torn off wings and the plunge into the unfathomable abyss remains hauntingly similar. I might posit that Icarus, like all of humanity, inherits the divine gift of being fashioned in the image of God, while simultaneously being ensnared by the machinations of infernal influence. His relentless quest for purpose and meaning, coupled with his remarkable achievements, of course, not to mention his self-perceived role as the probable mythmaker. It positions him more accurately as the Antichrist figure rather than an embodiment of pure malevolence. Indeed, what man has not, at some point, harboured the secret desire to ascend to Godhood? The tragedy of Icarus lies in his momentary abandonment of earthly love as he gazes into the impenetrable vastness of possibility, genuinely believing in his capacity to achieve the status comparable to Daedalus. Such an antichrist leitmotif becomes particularly poignant when we consider how he falls prey to the seductive beauty of thought and the infinite potential of it for creation. The myth of Icarus serves as the sapient signpost, suggesting that somewhere, perhaps far beyond our human reach, lies the doorway to the transcendent realm; and while it might be attainable, it remains reserved for someone who is fundamentally different from ourselves. Like the third sky. Therefore, through his imminent choices, Icarus illuminates the crucial truth about the nature of the eventual arrival of Antichrist. I assume that the myth suggests that when the true Antichrist emerges, his will be equally tragic, built upon the foundation of the forsaken love, unwavering faith in his Creator, and the misguided conviction in the ability to serve as the one saviour to humanity. Such interpretation transforms the cautionary tale to the meditation on the nature of existence, human aspiration, and the price of reaching beyond the ordained borders.
But what defines us if not the primordial wanting to breach boundaries and transcend the walls of our indwelling? Perhaps there exist anomalies within this cosmic equation, much like the mythical pursuit of Icarus of the dream-laden isle of Sicily. In truth, the crux of the given matter lies not in the realm of possibility versus impossibility, nor in the demarcation of achievable horizons, but rather in the profound capacity for mastering it. One might ponder whether Icarus, despite his unwavering conviction in the ability to soar, could ever have mastered the delicate art of balancing multiple realms or destinations. It remains true even if Daedalus, in his infinite wisdom, had offered his guidance by crafting more resilient wings, bestowing upon Icarus the ability to fly unaided, or perhaps shielding him from the mesmerising radiance of the sun that bewitched his heart. Indeed, Daedalus possessed the potential to be the salvation of Icarus, but herein lies the tragedy of man. All manner of mortal afflictions, rather evil or deprivation or wrath or anguish or vanity or egotistic inclinations, might have been circumvented had our Creator chosen to intervene. God could have endowed us with better qualities from our very inception, or perhaps saved us right from the consuming flames of our follies. Yet, such intervention remains beyond the scope of the equation of our fundamental reality. Daedalus, bound by the constraints of his role, will not bestow more gifts upon Icarus, and will not reshape his mindset, nor persuade him to find contentment within the present conditions. As I said, Daedalus assumes the role of guide, serving as the beacon of wisdom while maintaining a careful distance from any intervention in the unfolding of a myth. After all, he is an architect of it. As much as a writer who neither desires nor possesses the ability to revise an already written and published opus, Daedalus will observe the consequences of his creation from afar. Hence, while Icarus commands the spotlight of the story, he remains merely the tragic protagonist within it, and not the