“Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

“Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats, first appeared in 1923 as part of his collection The Tower, recounts the mythological tale of Zeus, in the form of a swan, assaulting Leda, an event that mythologically results in the birth of Helen of Troy and, by extension, the Trojan War. The poem is celebrated for its intense, visceral imagery and complex interplay of violence, divinity, and human agency. Its popularity stems from its masterful synthesis of mythology with historical inevitability, symbolizing the profound intersections between personal trauma and epochal events. Yeats’ use of a modernist lens to reinterpret classical mythology renders the poem both timeless and deeply relevant.

Text: “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

Annotations: “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

Line	Annotation
“A sudden blow: the great wings beating still”	The “sudden blow” signifies the violent and abrupt nature of Zeus’s assault on Leda. The “great wings” emphasize Zeus’s divine and overwhelming power.
“Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed”	Leda is described as “staggering,” showcasing her vulnerability and inability to resist. The “thighs caressed” suggest both violence and intimacy.
“By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,”	The “dark webs” evoke an image of entrapment, while the “bill” symbolizes Zeus’s swan form and the physical dominance over Leda.
“He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.”	The phrase underscores Leda’s helplessness and lack of agency, emphasizing the physical overpowering by Zeus.
“How can those terrified vague fingers push”	The “terrified vague fingers” highlight Leda’s futile attempts to resist Zeus’s overwhelming power.
“The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?”	The “feathered glory” refers to Zeus in his swan form, linking divine majesty with the violence of the act. “Loosening thighs” suggests submission or defeat.
“And how can body, laid in that white rush,”	“White rush” symbolizes both the swan’s whiteness and the ferocity of the act, as Leda is overwhelmed physically and emotionally.
“But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?”	Leda experiences a mixture of awe and terror, unable to escape the divine force represented by Zeus’s “strange heart.”
“A shudder in the loins engenders there”	The “shudder” implies the act’s physical and emotional impact, while “engenders” directly ties the encounter to its consequences, including Helen’s birth.
“The broken wall, the burning roof and tower”	These phrases are metaphors for the Trojan War’s destruction, suggesting that this event sets in motion catastrophic historical consequences.
“And Agamemnon dead.”	Refers to the murder of King Agamemnon, another consequence of the chain of events initiated by Leda’s assault.
“Being so caught up,”	Leda’s helpless entanglement is emphasized, illustrating her lack of control and the overwhelming nature of divine intervention.
“So mastered by the brute blood of the air,”	Zeus is described as “brute blood,” emphasizing primal, animalistic force rather than divine benevolence. “Air” refers to Zeus’s swan form, a creature of the sky.
“Did she put on his knowledge with his power”	Questions whether Leda attained divine insight or understanding as a result of her encounter with Zeus.
“Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?”	The “indifferent beak” highlights Zeus’s apathy toward Leda after the act, symbolizing the cruelty of divine will.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

Device	Example	Explanation
Ambiguity	“Did she put on his knowledge with his power”	Leaves the reader questioning whether Leda gained divine insight from the encounter.
Anaphora	“How can… How can”	Repetition at the beginning of lines emphasizes Leda’s helplessness and inability to resist.
Assonance	“A shudder in the loins engenders there”	Repetition of vowel sounds (“uh” in “shudder” and “loins”) adds to the rhythmic and sensual tone.
Caesura	“Agamemnon dead.”	The pause within the line emphasizes the finality of the historical consequences linked to Leda’s assault.
Consonance	“Above the staggering girl”	Repetition of consonant sounds (“g” in “staggering” and “girl”) creates a harsh, unsettling effect.
Diction	“terrified vague fingers”	The choice of words like “terrified” and “vague” evokes Leda’s fear and disorientation.
Enjambment	“Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed / By the dark webs”	The continuation of a sentence across lines reflects the fluidity and intensity of the moment.
Imagery	“The broken wall, the burning roof and tower”	Vivid description of destruction ties the assault to the future devastation of Troy.
Irony	“The feathered glory”	Zeus is depicted gloriously, despite his act of violence, highlighting the tension between divine power and brutality.
Juxtaposition	“terrified vague fingers” and “feathered glory”	Contrasts Leda’s helplessness with Zeus’s divine form, underscoring the power imbalance.
Metaphor	“The brute blood of the air”	Describes Zeus’s animalistic nature, emphasizing primal dominance.
Meter (Iambic)	“A sudden blow: the great wings beating still”	The predominantly iambic pentameter creates a formal and controlled rhythm amidst chaotic imagery.
Onomatopoeia	“A shudder in the loins”	“Shudder” mimics the physical sensation, adding an auditory dimension to the description.
Personification	“The strange heart beating where it lies”	Attributes human-like emotions to Zeus in his swan form, blurring boundaries between human and divine.
Rhetorical Question	“How can those terrified vague fingers push?”	Questions emphasize Leda’s powerlessness, inviting the reader to reflect on the scene.
Sensory Language	“A sudden blow: the great wings beating still”	Appeals to the senses of touch, sight, and sound, making the imagery more vivid.
Symbolism	“The broken wall”	Represents the fall of Troy, linking personal violence to large-scale historical consequences.
Tone	“Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?”	The detached tone of “indifferent beak” underscores Zeus’s lack of empathy and highlights Leda’s victimization.
Volta (Turn)	“Did she put on his knowledge with his power”	Marks a shift from physical imagery to philosophical questioning of power, knowledge, and agency.

Themes: “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

• Violence and Power
• The theme of violence and power is central to “Leda and the Swan,” vividly depicted through the assault of Leda by Zeus in the form of a swan. The opening line, “A sudden blow: the great wings beating still,” captures the abrupt and overwhelming force of the act. Leda’s helplessness is emphasized in “How can those terrified vague fingers push / The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?” This raw depiction of dominance underscores the imbalance of power between the divine and mortal, portraying violence as an instrument of both control and transformation.
• Divine Intervention and Human Agency
• The poem explores the tension between divine will and human autonomy. Leda’s inability to resist Zeus’s assault highlights the vulnerability of mortals in the face of divine forces. The rhetorical question, “Did she put on his knowledge with his power,” reflects on whether Leda gained insight or agency from this forced encounter, juxtaposing physical domination with the potential for intellectual awakening. The indifferent tone of “Before the indifferent beak could let her drop” underscores the god’s apathy, raising questions about the fairness and morality of divine interventions in human affairs.
• Historical Consequences
• Yeats connects the mythological event to significant historical repercussions, such as the Trojan War and the fall of Troy. The lines “The broken wall, the burning roof and tower / And Agamemnon dead” tie Leda’s assault to the chain of events that lead to the destruction of Troy and the death of Agamemnon. This theme illustrates how singular, personal moments of violence can trigger far-reaching historical outcomes, blending mythological narrative with historical determinism.
• Sexuality and Transformation
• Sexuality in the poem is depicted as both violent and transformative, symbolizing a complex interplay of destruction and creation. The line “A shudder in the loins engenders there” explicitly links the act of violence to the birth of Helen of Troy, whose beauty becomes the catalyst for war. This duality of sexuality—both as a source of life and destruction—is a central tension in the poem, capturing the simultaneous vulnerability and transformative potential of Leda’s experience.

Literary Theories and “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

Literary Theory	Explanation and Application	References from the Poem
Feminist Criticism	This theory examines gender dynamics, particularly the power imbalance and victimization of women. Leda’s helplessness reflects the systemic silencing and objectification of women in patriarchal structures.	“He holds her helpless breast upon his breast” and “terrified vague fingers” portray Leda’s vulnerability and lack of agency.
Mythological/Archetypal Theory	Focuses on the universal archetypes in myths and their impact on cultural narratives. Leda’s assault by Zeus symbolizes the intersection of divine intervention and human suffering, reflecting the archetypal victim of power struggles.	“The broken wall, the burning roof and tower” connects the myth to universal themes of destruction and creation in mythology.
Postcolonial Criticism	Interprets the poem as a metaphor for colonial domination, where Zeus represents an imperialist force and Leda symbolizes a colonized subject, overwhelmed by the power of the colonizer.	“So mastered by the brute blood of the air” parallels the subjugation of colonized individuals by imperial forces.

Critical Questions about “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

• What does the poem suggest about the nature of power and domination?
• “Leda and the Swan” portrays power as overwhelming and absolute, leaving no space for resistance or agency. Zeus, in the form of a swan, embodies this dominance as he subdues Leda with physical force. The phrase “terrified vague fingers” highlights her helplessness against the “feathered glory,” symbolizing the stark imbalance of power between the divine and the mortal. The violence of this act is juxtaposed with its historical implications, as seen in “The broken wall, the burning roof and tower,” suggesting that domination is not merely a personal experience but a force that reshapes history.
• How does Yeats use myth to explore human vulnerability?
• By recounting the myth of Leda and Zeus, Yeats highlights the fragility of human beings in the face of divine will. Leda’s inability to resist Zeus’s assault, captured in the rhetorical question “How can those terrified vague fingers push / The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?” reflects her vulnerability. This interaction also serves as a broader commentary on humanity’s susceptibility to forces beyond their control, be they divine, historical, or political.
• What is the relationship between sexuality and historical consequence in the poem?
• Yeats intertwines sexuality and historical consequence by linking the violent union of Leda and Zeus to the events leading to the Trojan War. The line “A shudder in the loins engenders there” suggests that the act of violence births Helen of Troy, whose beauty ultimately causes the war. The imagery of “The broken wall, the burning roof and tower” connects the personal violation to large-scale destruction, showing how intimate moments of violence can ripple into historical calamities.
• Does Leda gain any knowledge or insight from her encounter with Zeus?
• The question “Did she put on his knowledge with his power” raises the possibility that Leda attained some divine understanding from her traumatic encounter. However, the poem leaves this ambiguous, as her subjugation is underscored by Zeus’s apathy, symbolized by “the indifferent beak.” This ambiguity invites readers to question whether power and knowledge can ever be genuinely transferred in situations of coercion, or if they remain inherently separate.

Literary Works Similar to “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

1. “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope
   Both poems explore themes of violation and power dynamics, though Pope’s work does so in a satirical and social context, contrasting Yeats’s mythological and tragic tone.
2. “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats
   Like “Leda and the Swan,” this poem delves into themes of timeless beauty and the tension between action and stasis, capturing significant moments in art and life.
3. “The Shield of Achilles” by W.H. Auden
   Auden, like Yeats, uses classical mythology to comment on violence and its far-reaching consequences, merging ancient imagery with modern concerns.
4. “Tithonus” by Alfred Lord Tennyson
   This poem shares with “Leda and the Swan” an exploration of human vulnerability in the face of divine power, focusing on the emotional and physical toll of divine-human interactions.
5. “Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson
   Although more narrative in style, it examines the relationship between mythological figures and their struggles, akin to Yeats’s portrayal of Leda’s victimization and its implications.

Representative Quotations of “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“A sudden blow: the great wings beating still”	Zeus, in the form of a swan, assaults Leda. The moment captures the suddenness and violence of the act.	Psychoanalytic Criticism: Focuses on the primal and unconscious drives.
“Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed”	The swan dominates Leda physically, symbolizing divine power over mortal vulnerability.	Feminist Theory: Examines themes of male dominance and female subjugation.
“By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill”	The physical imagery underscores Leda’s helplessness and the swan’s aggression.	Postcolonial Theory: Reflects themes of power dynamics and submission.
“He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.”	The act of overpowering is emphasized, suggesting the swan’s total control over Leda.	Structuralism: Analyzes binary oppositions like dominance/submission.
“How can those terrified vague fingers push”	Leda’s futile resistance highlights her vulnerability against divine force.	Gender Studies: Focuses on the power imbalance in gendered relationships.
“And how can body, laid in that white rush,”	Leda is overwhelmed by Zeus’s force, illustrating her lack of agency.	Existentialism: Explores themes of human helplessness and determinism.
“A shudder in the loins engenders there”	The sexual act is tied to its mythological consequences, including the Trojan War.	Mythological Criticism: Links the imagery to classical myths and their consequences.
“The broken wall, the burning roof and tower”	References the destruction of Troy, tying the act to larger historical and mythical events.	New Historicism: Analyzes the interplay between personal and historical trauma.
“So mastered by the brute blood of the air,”	The primal and instinctual nature of Zeus’s action is emphasized.	Ecocriticism: Interprets Zeus’s animalistic form as a connection to nature’s savagery.
“Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?”	Reflects Zeus’s lack of concern for Leda after the act, symbolizing divine detachment.	Postmodernism: Questions the morality and indifference of authoritative figures.

Suggested Readings: “Leda and the Swan” by W.B. Yeats

1. Neigh, Janet. “Reading from the Drop: Poetics of Identification and Yeats’s ‘Leda and the Swan.’” Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 29, no. 4, 2006, pp. 145–60. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3831884. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
2. Winters, Yvor. “The Poetry of W. B. Yeats.” Twentieth Century Literature, vol. 6, no. 1, 1960, pp. 3–24. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/440954. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
3. Paul, Catherine E., and Warwick Gould. “W. B. Yeats and the Problem of Belief.” Yeats Annual, no. 21, 2018, pp. 295–316. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/90020743. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
4. Skelton, Robin. “W.B. Yeats: The Poet as Synopsis.” Mosaic: A Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature, vol. 1, no. 1, 1967, pp. 7–21. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24776828. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
5. McKenna, Bernard. “Yeats, ‘Leda,’ and the Aesthetics of To-Morrow: ‘The Immortality of the Soul.’” New Hibernia Review / Iris Éireannach Nua, vol. 13, no. 2, 2009, pp. 16–35. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25660869. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
6. Deane, Seamus. “Yeats, Ireland and Revolution.” The Crane Bag, vol. 1, no. 2, 1977, pp. 56–64. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30059446. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.