Student Question

How does "Leda and the Swan" mark a turning point in history according to Yeats?

Quick answer:

According to Yeats, "Leda and the Swan" marks a turning point in history by depicting the myth where Zeus's rape of Leda leads to the birth of Helen, whose abduction by Paris eventually triggers the Trojan War. This event is foundational in Greek mythology and history, initiating a series of events that significantly shape the ancient world. Thus, the poem highlights the intersection of divine intervention and human history through Leda's experience.

Expert Answers

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Well, that is not (in my opinion) the primary message of the poem, which focuses on the experience of the subject of a classic myth, but that is part of the poem.

Leda was the mother of Helen (among others). Zeus raped Leda for her beauty and his lust alone, but in doing so he fathered children. Helen was the prize given to Paris for choosing Aphrodite as the fairest of the goddesses in a great mythic beauty contest. Since she was already married, when Paris took her to Troy, this started the war. The war was foundational in Greek myth and history. Zeus starts this all in motion with his casual lust, and Leda, in the pain of her rape, must glimpse this as well.

Greg

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