Leda and The Swan

Question 1

What is the context of ‘Leda and the Swan’? (2)

Answer 1

• Retelling of a story from Greek mythology of the rape of a girl, Leda, by Zeus, whom had taken the form of a Swan.
• Written in 1923, published 1928

Question 2

What are the overall messages of ‘Leda and the Swan’? (3)

Answer 2

• The english control and oppression of Ireland
• How sometimes violence can be the spark of a revolution or change
• WBY’s questioning and query of the future and the implications of small actions today on the future of Ireland

Question 3

How does WBY describe the swan as harsh and violent in ‘Leda and the Swan’? (3)

Answer 3

• “A sudden blow:” - “blow” is onomatepeaic to display violence whilst colon caesura heightens the sense of surprise felt
• “great wings beating”- “beating” is harsh and violent verb

“dark webs”- sinister description of the swan- with spider like and terrifying tendencies

-References to England as a brutish and oppressive tormentor of Ireland

Question 4

How does WBY represent Leda’s opposition to the Swan and how does this link to Ireland in ‘Leda and the Swan’? (3)

Answer 4

“He holds her helpless breast upon his breast”- contrast of soft “h” alliteration and plosive “b” alliteration displays the vulnerability of Leda (Ireland) in comparison to the mighty Zeus (England)

-“How can those terrified vague fingers push”- displays a weak and weathered response from the Irish to British occupation

“loosening thighs”- displays a passive acceptance from the Irish people of British occupation

Question 5

How are caesuras used to add emphasis in ‘Leda and the Swan’?

Answer 5

Copious and repetitive caesuras are used to break up the flow of the poem to display Ledas (and Irelands) subtle and overall minimal and inconsequential resistance to the English dominance of them

Question 6

What is the allusion to the fall of Troy and what is the implicit of this in ‘Leda and the Swan’? (1 quote + 2 interpretations)

Answer 6

“The broken wall, the burning roof and tower/ And Agamemnon dead”

–>”The broken wall, the burning tower and roof” can be metaphors of sex through “broken wall” illustrating the violation of Leda and the “tower” acting as a phallic representation: displaying how this rape and act of violence will lead to disastrous consequences (“And Agamemnon dead”
OR
-“The broken wall, the burning roof and tower” can be accentuating the fall of an empire, in this case the British, and thus accentuating how sometimes an act of violence is needed for a revolution to take place

Question 7

How does WBY emphasise the importance of emotion and impulse in ‘Leda and the Swan’? (2 quotes)

Answer 7

• “white rush”- rush of blood to the head emphasises how a sudden impulse encouraged Leda, and WBY
• “the brute blood of the air”: displays that it was something in the air and a particular feeling in the moment that inspired her

–> : the same sudden impulse that has caused needless violence in the past such as in Easter 1916 or that has led to greatness such as “lonely impulse of delight” in An Irish Airman

Question 8

How does WBY question knowledge and understanding of the future in ‘Leda and the Swan’? (1 quote + 2 analysis pieces)

Answer 8

“Did she put on his knowledge with his power/ Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?”

–>WBY questions whether Leda knew of the future implications of her rape at the time that it happened as he himself is constantly questioning the current actions in Ireland as the future consequences

• WBY emphasises how Leda took knowledge, education and awareness from her rape ordeal: all characterisitics needed for a succesful revolution
• ->The same way that WBY took knowledge and understanding of events in Ireland to be able to write this poem and get a message out (link to the cat & the moon)

Question 9

How does WBY question the importance of faith in ‘Leda and the Swan’?

Answer 9

-WBY allows us to question our own beliefs: Is an intimate moment (“caressed”) with a divine figure actually a good thing? At what point do we devote ourselves too closely our faiths and beliefs? link to Sept. 1913- is divinity our source of oppression?

Question 10

What is the form and structure off ‘Leda and the Swan’ and what is it’s significance?

Answer 10

The poem is a sonnet- traditional fourteen line poem in Iambic pentameter

There is a separation between first 8 lines (octet) and last six lines (sestet)- the volta, and dividing line is the ejaculation- “a shudder in the loin”- emphasising the build up to the rape and the consequences after it

Question 11

What is the rhyme scheme of ‘Leda and the Swan’ and what is its significance?

Answer 11

• ABABCDCDEFGEFG

- displays the contrast between the violence and non-violence: the conflict between acceptance and suppression