Analysis of Leda and the Swan Essay - 1528 Words

Analysis of Leda and the Swan. Greek mythology. Analysis of Leda and the Swan. Greek mythology has, throughout history, been the subject of much debate and interpretation. Conjuring up images of bloody battles and crumbling cities, its descriptions of the epic battle between good and evil still have remarkable relevance and continue to resonate with poignancy in our bleak, war-torn society. The poem Leda and the Swan, written by William Butler Yeats, attempts to shed new light on what is arguably one of Ancient Greeces most controversial myths. In this essay I aim to study the poem in more depth, analysing what Yeats says and how he says it. Leda and the Swan is an interpretation of the Greek myth wherein Zeus, in the†¦show more content†¦One could go further and argue that the intentional eroticism of something so violent is somewhat sinister - after all, a caress is supposed to be an act of affection and love, and is not normally associated with something spiteful and violent. A sense of the victims entrapment and entanglement is created in the next line, in which Yeats describes the swans wings as dark webs (the word dark is also used to portray the swan and its actions as sinister). This sense of entrapment is emphasised where the swan is said to have the nape of the victims neck trapped in its bill. The contrast in texture between the words nape and caught emphasise the power of the action. Yet, despite the brutality of Zeus initial action, the softness of the word bill implies that it is forceful, yet not overpowering. The eroticism which occurred in the second line continues in the line He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. The softness of the words used, combined with the sexual connotations which they carry, lends the line an erotic tone, made sinister by the forceful nature of the animals actions. The second stanza of the poem consists of two questions, both pondering on the nature of the victims actions,Show MoreRelatedLeda And The Swan Poem Analysis1260 Words   |  6 Pagesconstant warfare that the soldiers endure daily. Likewise, allusion in the poems â€Å"Leda and the Swanâ€Å" by W. B. Yeats, â€Å"Out, Out---† by Robert Frost, and â€Å"Siren Songâ€Å" by Margaret Atwood reveals the historical conflicts that occurred within Greek mythology and World War I. To begin with, in â€Å"Leda and the Swan† by W. B. Yeats, he depicts the rape of a woman named Leda by Zeus, who is disguised as a swan, and in turn, Leda conceives a child who plagues mass havoc on the city of Troy. Instantly, Yeats depictsRead More Leda and the Swan Analysis Essay477 Words   |  2 Pages In William Butler Yeats poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan†, he uses the fourteen lines of the traditional sonnet form in a radical, modernist style. He calls up a series of unforgettable, bizarre images of an immediate physical event using abstract descriptions in brief language. Through structure and language Yeats is able to paint a powerful sexual image to his readers without directly giving the meaning of the poem. â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is a violent, sexually explicit poem with its plain diction, rhythmicRead MoreLeda and the Swan Notes763 Words   |  4 PagesLeda and the Swan notes Origins Leda and the Swan was a Greek myth in which the God Zeus transformed into a swan and raped the girl Leda. Different versions of the myth disagree on whether Leda was actually raped or seduced by Zeus. In the myth, Leda gave birth to four children, who hatched from eggs. One of the children was Helen of Troy, the woman the Trojan War was fought over. Analysis on form The poem is a sonnet-it has 14 lines. Each of the lines has 10 beats to it. Yeats plays withRead More Violence In Leda and the Swan by W.B.Yeats Essay2771 Words   |  12 PagesViolence In Leda and the swan by W.B.Yeats â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is one of the most well known poems by Yeats, although it’s controversy as to what really happens during the lines of this sonnet. There are many different ways as to how one can approach the interpretation of the poem, is it influenced by Yeats’ own life, in which case he puts all his frustration towards Maud Gonne into words, or is it a poem about power, or about politics? I have deliberately chosen not to take into considerationRead MoreHelen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing1480 Words   |  6 Pagesconceived. However in Atwood’s poem it appears she chose the idea that Helen was the daughter of Greek God, Zeus, and Spartan Queen Leda. It has been said that Zeus disguised himself as a swan and raped Leda. Leda then produced an egg from which Helen came from. ‘but I come from the province of gods’(58) ‘My mother was raped by a holy swan.’(62) ‘in my blazing swan-egg of light.’(80) Here are three instances where Atwood refers to the myth of who Helen’s parents were and how she was conceived. Read MoreHelen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing1488 Words   |  6 Pagesconceived. However in Atwood’s poem it appears she chose the idea that Helen was the daughter of Greek God, Zeus, and Spartan Queen Leda. It has been said that Zeus disguised himself as a swan and raped Leda. Leda then produced an egg from which Helen came from. ‘but I come from the province of gods’(58) ‘My mother was raped by a holy swan.’(62) ‘in my blazing swan-egg of light.’(80) Here are three instances where Atwood refers to the myth of who Helen’s parents were and how she was conceived. Read MoreAnnotated Bibliography on the Prevelence of Rape in Shakespeares Work909 Words   |  4 Pagesperspective of the female victim. Although Greenstadt provides significant personal research, she relies heavily on her own interpretations and thus her argument lacks etymological evidence of the words homonym-like qualities. Nonetheless, Greenstadts analysis of gender and sexuality in the poem offers a pillar of evidence, which will support the exploration of the character Lucrece as possessing agency. Kemp, Theresa D. Women in Shakespeares Work. Women In the Age Of Shakespeare. SantaRead MoreNative American Literature King s A Coyote s Coyote1362 Words   |  6 Pagesthe most frequent trickster figure amongst this narrative. This wild animal can at times be helpful, but more often than not his foolish and rash personality can meddle with the surrounding environment. Much like Zeus transformed into a swan in Leda and the Swan, Coyote could also change forms. Sometimes he’s an animal, other times he’s a person, or even at times he’s half human-half animal. Since trickster figures can change their physical shape, their personality is no different. It can vary, fromRead MoreWho Goes with Fergus11452 Words   |  46 PagesFergus example and leave the cares of the world to know the wisdom of nature. He exhorts young men and women alike to leave off brooding over loves bitter mystery and to turn instead to the mysterious order of nature, over which Fergus rules. Analysis This short poem is full of mystery and complexity. It was James Joyces favorite poem, and figures in his famous novel Ulysses, where Stephen Daedalus sings it to his dying mother. On one level, the poem represents Yeats exhortation to the young