His satire is aimed at the "hypocrisy" of making an adventure appear more glorious than it was. He is trying to say that there is nothing glorious about war, there is only death and suffering, and it is definitely not a pretty sight.
In Brueghel's painting, the fall of Icarus is happening in the back; no one is even noticing it. Brueghel's painting shows that how a tragedy may not even be noticed by those who are not directly affected by it.
Auden translates Brueghel's painting a little differently, however. To Auden, the fall of Icarus IS being noticed by the plowman and the sailor; Auden says that they are too busy to deal with the disaster and get on with their work. Auden says that Icarus falling is "not an important failure" to them.
Auden's interpretation of the painting is therefore much more negative than Brueghel's initial work.
Miss Rachel Haverford, ( Who is Dills aunt.)
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.<span> </span>
