leda and the swan by william butler yeats

Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /e/ and /a/ in “By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill” the sound of /o/ and /a/ in “And how can body, laid in that white rush” and the sound of /o/ in “and Agamemnon dead.

Allusion: It means to refer to some event, phenomenon or belief or idea of some historical importance such as Swan here refers to Zeus and Agamemnon to King Agamemnon.

Yeats has also used some literary devices in this poem whose analysis is as follows. Literary devices help the writers to convey their thoughts impressively. Analysis of Literary Devices Used In Leda and the Swan However, the question of free will looms large in the background that if Helen was destined to meet that fate in causing downfall of Troy, she must have taken some foreknowledge from Zeus. This rape through violence and the “shudder” makes things clear that sexual desire is uncontrollable even if it is linked to gods. Although this is a historical even that Yeats has put into his poem, the significance of rape and its consequences become clear by the end of the poem when Yeats refer to Agamemnon.

Major Themes in “Leda and the Swan”: Rape, violence, sex desire and free will are four major themes of the poem.

The poem, then, questions whether Leda has the realization of the importance of this moment or whether she was aware of the power that Zeus had had before her fall. The poet, then, alludes to the great Agamemnon and the fall of try. However, when the swan shudders, it is clear that the swan has succeeded in raping her and impregnating her with, Helen. In another rhetorical question, his response is that she cannot as the blur of “the white rush” of the feather of swan may not let her feel the heartbeat of his body. Yeats rhetorically questions whether Leda has enough power in her fingers to prevent parting of her thighs and preventing her ruin. In this assault, Zeus is trying to rape the girl. He puts his beak on her neck and overpowers her. This violent grab continues with his wings beating the girl and feet grabbing her. It is the Greek god, Zeus, who has taken the form of a swan and attacked the girl to sexually rape her.

“ Leda and the Swan” As a Representative of Sex and Violence: The poet opens the poem with the swan beating his wings on the girl.

The popularity of the poem, however, lies in its mythical relations of the Irish national struggle. Later, Yeats included it in his collection that appeared in the same year under the title of, The Cat and the Moon and Certain Poems.

It, however, first appeared in the month of June in 1924 in a magazine, The Dial. Popularity of “Leda and the Swan”: “Leda and The Swan” by William Butler Yeats, the Irish poet, is an interesting piece.

Leda and the swan by william butler yeats