Waxen Wings
An Incomplete and Evolving Thought by Tyson Alexander Monagle
An Incomplete and Evolving Thought by Tyson Alexander Monagle
What does it mean to challenge the Sun? The Sun in the most literal of senses is just the star closest to Earth, provider of heat, sustainer and destroyer of life. In literature, the Sun has a different presence. The Sun has appeared as a symbol of hope, joyous wonderment, power, regeneration, and oppression - this last explored by Camus and others. And this meaning of the Sun reveals itself to us in much earlier writings as well. The tale of Daedalus and his son, Icarus, entrapped by the King Minos of Crete in the Labyrinth of Daedalus' own construction gives us a glimpse of this antagonistic relationship in the limitations it imposes on mankind. Of Daedalus and Icarus, Ovid's Metamorphoses tell us this:
"Upon the leftThe Sun, set high in the sky, intimidates Daedalus and imposes its influence on the world of mortal men below, striking down any that dare compare themselves to its magnificence. Daedalus warns his son of the danger of flying too close to the Sun out of this fearful concern. And as Icarus attempts to fly, as Ovid tells us, far more boldly than he ought, into the realms of the Sun, its "scorching" rays melt away his wings and send him to his death in the crushing waters below. And for what? Icarus dies for no other reason than his ambition to experience a world beyond the mundane. The boy, seeing Phoebus' chariot, seeks in blind euphoria to bring himself but a little closer. For this, he perishes. A moment of pride leads to an eternity of damnation.
they passed by Samos, Juno's sacred isle;/
Delos and Paros too, were left behind;/
and on the right Lebinthus and Calymne,/
fruitful in honey. Proud of his success,/
the foolish Icarus forsook his guide,/
and, bold in vanity, began to soar,/
rising upon his wings to touch the skies;/
but as he neared the scorching sun, its heat/
softened the fragrant wax that held his plumes;/
and heat increasing melted the soft wax--/
he waved his naked arms instead of wings,/
with no more feathers to sustain his flight./
And as he called upon his father's name/
his voice was smothered in the dark blue sea,/
now called Icarian from the dead boy's name."
And yet this is not the only time ancient writings show us such cruelty over an insignificant action born of pride. We see again in Genesis the story of the Babylonians, so confident that they sought to construct a mighty tower that would reach to the Heavens. This, they did, of their free will. And God said:
"Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."Though here we do not see as clearly the Sun, the image of the Heavens and of God come plainly to the fore to take its place. And we should not find ourselves so surprised: Phoebus pulls the chariot of the Sun in Greek mythology. And again the justification of the ruination of a people is lacks sensibility. Though one can explain Icarus' death in more simple and scientific terms, cautioning simply against the heat of the sun, and the inability to test such an idea in the time of the ancient Greeks - for they certainly would have then known that the upper atmosphere freezes because of its low density - both these instances reveal the judgment against pride.
But even the Greek story does not presume itself so mighty as the God revealed to us in Genesis. For he did give man free will. And he let man experience sin and pay for his trespasses in the next life eternally. But he could not satisfy himself with that alone, no. He decided that the ambitions of man to achieve all "which they have imagined to do" should bring the destruction and division of an entire people.
Albert Camus' depicts a different oppression of the Sun, one which holds its own merit but has little relevance to this case. The Sun of Camus is the intensely burning emotion of man. Though cumbersome at times, and unnecessary to some, one need not form any judgment of these passions.
To challenge the Sun then, one must discard all notions of negativity associated with driving ambitions, with confidence, and with preconceived impossibilities. To one who dares to challenge the sun, the world lays open, yet desolate. To defy these beliefs so deeply ingrained into society, one has to discard the irrational and sometimes arbitrary moral constraints shackled onto oneself by others. And this does not go without consequences. The Sun burns not in the sky alone, but in the hearts of those who believe in its presence. And the surface of the world sears with the heat of billions of Suns. But one can not assume superiority and maintain such a meaning, or lack thereof. There is no valiance in seeking one's goals despite the tyranny of humanity. And there is no moral betterment in this humility. There is only betterment insofar as one finds fulfillment of oneself and one's goals.
And therein lies a distinction that must be clarified: if one's goals do not involve defiance of the cultural norm, one need not defy it if it would penalize him or her. To the man that makes his living and finds his fulfillment in tried and true actions, do not change simply for the sake of change. But do not feel the need to criticize those who do. Understand the universality of selfish motivation in determining one's actions. In this, perhaps, disagree with society, for selfishness drives the world ever onward and fuels innovation. In this, challenge the Sun, and let its fiery wrath bathe your body and mind and shoot through you. And reflect that you feel no burning sensation because you know that it affects you not. Find freedom and pursue your goals as high as they may lead you and never lower for fear of the vile hatred of the Sun.
