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Leda and Swan Que

'Leda and the Swan' by W.B. Yeats is a sonnet that explores the violent myth of Zeus raping Leda, which leads to significant historical events like the Trojan War. The poem's structure is Petrarchan, with vivid imagery that highlights themes of fate, free will, and the consequences of violence. Yeats' work is celebrated for its artistic perfection and its impact on modernist literature.

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Vanshika Yadav
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16 views3 pages

Leda and Swan Que

'Leda and the Swan' by W.B. Yeats is a sonnet that explores the violent myth of Zeus raping Leda, which leads to significant historical events like the Trojan War. The poem's structure is Petrarchan, with vivid imagery that highlights themes of fate, free will, and the consequences of violence. Yeats' work is celebrated for its artistic perfection and its impact on modernist literature.

Uploaded by

Vanshika Yadav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BA Sem V CC509 Unit III

‘Leda and the Swan’ by W. B. Yeats

Introduction

„Leda and the Swan‟ is a sonnet considered one of the most perfect poems of W.B. Yeats. This
artistic perfection is achieved by the fusion of history, myth and vision. The poem has marvelous
force and richness. "Leda and the Swan" depicts an act of rape. The poem‟s graphic imagery
leaves no doubt that Zeus, in the form of a swan, violently assaults Leda. The poem in one sweep
sets in motion a chain of events that resulted in the destruction of the Trojan War, and the
various events narrated by Homer in his epics, Iliad and Odyssey.

Form

“Leda and the Swan” is a sonnet, a traditional fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter. The
structure of this sonnet is Petrarchan with a clear separation between the first eight lines (the
“octave”) and the final six (the “sestet”), the dividing line being the moment of ejaculation—the
“shudder in the loins.” The rhyme scheme of the sonnet is ABAB CDCD EFGEFG

The Poem and the Myth

 The poem, „Leda and the Swan‟ by William Butler Yeats, talks about the story of
Greek mythology, the Copulation of Zeus (or Jupiter), and Leda. The poet narrates the
story vividly and dramatically. A big bird, a swan with great wings has been represented
as giving a sudden and staggering blow to the girl (Leda) who was bathing naked in a
pond.

 The bird fluttering over her, caressing her thighs, holding her nape with his beak, and
pressing her helpless (bare) breast upon his chest, must have been a nerve-shattering
experience for the terrified girl. She was helpless in the clutches of the brute blood of
their air, and her helplessness is signified by the „loosening of her thighs‟, which is an
expression rich in overtones of sexuality.

 In this way, an immortal god mated with a mortal girl. The event proved a fateful one as
it set in motion a whole chain of events. The girl gave birth to Helen and the result was
the Trojan War and the burning of the roof and „topless‟ towers of Troy. She also gave
birth to Clytemnestra and the result was the tragedy of Agamemnon. Clytemnestra was

Compiled by Dr. Iliyas Mansuri, Arts & Commerce College, Unjha


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the queen of Agamemnon but she got so angry with him that she with the help of his
children killed her own husband.

Fate and Free will


A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,
He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.

From the opening phrase, “A sudden blow,” it‟s clear that the god Zeus is violating the human
Leda. Words such as “staggering girl,” “helpless,” and “terrified” clearly articulate that Leda is
taken by force.

To what degree do human beings have control over their destinies? In ancient times, there was
no doubt that the gods held ultimate power over human beings. “Leda and the Swan” depicts this
reality: Leda‟s body and fate are at Zeus‟s mercy. Nevertheless, the poem also suggests that
humans possess enough free will to at least question their fates.

Furthermore, by posing such questions directly of the reader, the poem speaks to more than just
this specific Greek myth. It suggests that all human beings are subject to forces beyond their
control—and meditates on whether human beings are capable of understanding their place in the
grand scheme of destiny and history.

History and transformation

The significant moment of the poem is of course Zeus‟s rape of Leda, which, according to myth,
led to the Trojan War and the Golden Age of Greece—a modern age of art, literature, and
democracy. The poem treats this significant moment between Leda and Zeus as a mythological
and historical tipping point.

Of course, the poem makes clear that the thing that set this all in motion was an act of sexual
violation. The violence, in turn, led to more terribly violent events before that Golden Age
emerged. The poem thus also implies that sweeping historical transformation is often tied to
moments of violation and violence. Here, however, it is important to know only the war‟s lasting
impact: it brought about the end of the ancient mythological era and the birth of modern history.

And Agamemnon dead. Being so caught up,


So mastered by the brute blood of the air,
Did she put on his knowledge with his power
Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?

Compiled by Dr. Iliyas Mansuri, Arts & Commerce College, Unjha


Page 2
Accordingly, the poem is also often read as an allusion to the dawn of Christianity, as well as a
reference to the Irish War for Independence and Irish Civil War, which took place during the
years when Yeats was writing “Leda and the Swan.”

Here, however, it is important to know only the war‟s lasting impact: it brought about the end of
the ancient mythological era and the birth of modern history.

Conclusion:

“Leda and the Swan” is widely regarded as a masterpiece, one of Yeats‟ greatest
accomplishments and signature work of verse that helps define his standard. The word choices
are at a level easily understood and demonstrates no great experimental leaps in form or
structure. His poetry has been seminal in the modernist literary tradition and has transformed the
way poetry itself is understood. For instances, compositions such as 'The Second coming' and 'A
Prayer for My Daughter' have become some of the most prominent of the 20th century works.

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Compiled by Dr. Iliyas Mansuri, Arts & Commerce College, Unjha


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