Yeats's life, with a focus on his development as a poet. Philoctetes, Greek Hero: Mythology & Depictions | Who was Philoctetes? The same night Leda slept with her husband Tyndareus as they were trying to conceive and to prosper their family with children. Webthe myth that somehow men are superior still stands true. By William Butler Yeats. Helen is also sometimes excluded from the story, and described as the daughter of Nemesis, the goddess who personified the disaster that awaited those suffering from the pride of Hubris. By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. As a swan, Zeus fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. Goddess Freyja Facts & Symbols | Who is Freyja in Norse Mythology? The legend tells that one day Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods, came to Leda in the form of a swan and seduced her. 1A sudden blow: the great wings beating still, 2Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed. These eggs would eventually hatch, revealing children. [22], Avant-garde filmmaker Kurt Kren along with other members of the Viennese Actionist movement, including Otto Muehl and Hermann Nitsch, made a film-performance called 7/64 Leda und der Schwan in 1964. Sekhmet History & Role | Egyptian Goddess of War & Healing, Orpheus & Eurydice Story | Mythology, History & Characters, Nanna, Mesopotamian God of the Moon | Mythology of the God Sin, Huangdi: The Yellow Emperor | History, Mythology & Significance. This peculiar story was not unusual in Greek mythology. Leda and the Swan by Jean-Lon Grme, 1895, Leda and the Swan by Fernando Botero, 1996, Leda and the Swan, by Massimiliano Soldani, 1725. WebLeda and the Swan. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 12 Labors of Hercules: Myth & History | Why Did Hercules Do 12 Labors? [30] Camille Paglia, who called the poem "the greatest poem of the twentieth century," and said "all human beings, like Leda, are caught up moment by moment in the 'white rush' of experience. The story of Leda and the swan was a fairly ubiquitous subject for dwellings in Pompeii and Herculaneum, both of which were leveled when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79. According to Greek myth, Leda was the mother of mankind. The subject was rarely seen in the large-scale sculpture of antiquity, although a representation of Leda in sculpture has been attributed in modern times to Timotheus (compare illustration, below left); small-scale sculptures survive showing both reclining and standing poses,[2] in cameos and engraved gems, rings, and terracotta oil lamps. (2020, March 10)Marlene Dietrich at a costume party in 1935[] [Instagram Post]. Sasha Blakeley has a Bachelor's in English Literature from McGill University and a TEFL certification. In mythology, Leda is primarily known for her rape by Zeus, king of the gods. However it is known from many copies, of which the earliest are probably the Spiridon Leda, perhaps by a studio assistant and now in the Uffizi,[13] and the one at Wilton House in the United Kingdom (illustrated). In his poem Leda and the Swan, William Butler Yeats retells the classic Greek myth in which Leda, a human woman, is impregnated by the god Zeus while he is in the form of a swan. As a climax to the story, Leda is granted immortality by Zeus and transformed into the goddess Nemesis. Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Pleuron in Aetolia. Deucalion & Pyrrha: Mythology & Overview | Greek Flood Myth, Ariadne Of Crete | Family, Consorts & Role in Greek Mythology. Before the indifferent beak could let her drop? Snakes in Mythology | Facts, Names & Symbols of Mythical Serpents. Psyche: Mythology & History | Who was the Greek Goddess of the Soul? Create an account to start this course today. WebLeda was a beautiful woman, and her beauty attracted Zeus' attention from his throne on Mount Olympus. Changeling Mythology: History & Folklore | What is a Changeling? As a swan, Zeus fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. Combining psychological realism with a mystic vision, it describes the swan's rape of Leda. In one myth, he appears as Hades before Persephone to seduce her. WebLEDA was a queen of Sparta, the wife of King Tyndareus, who was seduced by Zeus in the guise of the swan. It is also always stated that Helen is the daughter of Zeus. WebLeda and the Swan is a story and subject in art from Greek mythology in which the god Zeus, in the form of a swan, seduces or rapes Leda. Zeus appears to Leda in the form of a swan and either seduces or rapes her, depending on the version of the myth in question. It is currently on display in the National Museum of Stockholm. Myths: Interpretations & Examples | What is Mythology? The skirt gradually narrowed upwards over the torso to turn into a swan-neck made out of fabric which coiled around the wearer's neck in exactly the same way as Dietrich's dress from 1935. There were several versions of the parentage of her children:- Some say she laid an egg from which were hatched the Dioskouroi (Dioscuri) twins, Kastor and Polydeukes, both sons of Zeus. 12 Being so caught up. He appears to Antiope in the form of a satyr and as a shepherd before Mnemosyne. Leda would have three additional children after the incident with the eggs. WebYeats's poem was inspired by a Greek myth in which Zeus rapes Leda, the daughter of a king named Thestius. Pan in Greek Mythology: Overview & Significance | Who is Pan? WebLeda, in Greek legend, usually believed to be the daughter of Thestius, king of Aetolia, and wife of Tyndareus, king of Lacedaemon. When Zeus saw this he considered it a chance and impregnated Leda. Hypnos (sleep personified) waves a The original of this is lost, probably deliberately destroyed,[citation needed] and was last recorded in the French royal Chteau de Fontainebleau in 1625 by Cassiano dal Pozzo. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Regardless of the number of eggs in the tellings, one thing that is commonly agreed upon is that not all of the children are stated to be divine, i.e. Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (ca 200 images of Leda), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leda_(mythology)&oldid=1148793364, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking in-text citations from May 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Husband/Second-Cousin (Zeus's Great-Grandson), Granddaughter/first cousin once removed (Helen's daughter), Grandson/first cousin once removed (Helen's son), Grandson/first cousin once removed (Pollux's son), This page was last edited on 8 April 2023, at 10:47. This is definitely not the case in Yeats's graphic version. WebLeda and the Swan. WebLEDA was a queen of Sparta, the wife of King Tyndareus, who was seduced by Zeus in the guise of the swan. Leda and the Swan An ancient myth. Leda and the Swan, charcoal, gouache on paper. According to Greek myth, Leda was the mother of mankind. Leda. WebDESCRIPTION. Prester John History, Legend & Facts | Who was Prester John? The parentage of Leda's children is debated. Leda was admired by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. Nephthys: Facts & Mythology | Who is the Egyptian Goddess of Death? Which children are the progeny of Tyndareus the mortal king, and which are of Zeus and thus half-immortal, is not consistent among accounts, nor is which child hatched from which egg. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. Nicaraguan poet Rubn Daro's 1892 poem "Leda" contains an oblique description of the rape, watched over by the god Pan.[32]. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [2] Her mother was either Leucippe,[3] Deidameia, daughter of Perieres,[4] Eurythemis, daughter of Cleoboea,[5] or Laophonte, daughter of Pleuron. Chrysaor Overview & Facts | Who is Chrysaor in Greek Mythology? A daughter of Thestius, whence she is called Thestias; 1 but others call her a daughter of Thespius, Thyestes, or Glaucus, by Laophonte, Deidamea, Leucippe, Eurythemis, or Paneidyia. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. All that is known is her name; she achieved nothing nor was she married off to anyone important. Midgard in Norse Mythology: Overview & History | What is Midgard? WebLEDA was a queen of Sparta, the wife of King Tyndareus, who was seduced by Zeus in the guise of the swan. In an alternative version of the myth, it is the goddess Nemesis who is pursued by Zeus (although an early version has the roles reversed). How can those terrified vague fingers push Clytaemnestra, who killed her husband, Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks at Troy, was also supposed to have hatched from one of Leda's eggs. For example, in Rubens Leda, she is shown fully nude, with the swan caressing her most intimate areas. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. WebLeda and the Swan William Butler Yeats Published in Yeats collection of Later Poems in 1926, Leda and the Swan is a sonnet based on a myth from Greek mythology. [citation needed], A statue of an egg depicting the union of Swan/Zeus with Leda, is placed on the island Pefnos of Agios Dimitrios village, in the region of Messenia on the coast of the southern Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. However, Rubens did make alterations to Michelangelos design. Ogres Overview, Examples & Facts | What is an Ogre? An online exhibition presented by the National Library of Ireland on W.B. Encyclopedia Mythica Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. The description of the sexual action going on makes it seem almost beautiful, as if Leda had given her consent. After seeing Michelangelos version of Leda and the Swan in Rome, the Flemish artist, Peter Paul Rubens, painted two versions of the subject in 1601 and 1602. When Zeus saw this he considered it a chance and impregnated Leda. Each of these children had some sort of involvement in events during the Trojan War, whether they served as heroes on the front lines, the origin of the conflict itself or sought to eliminate a major player in said conflict. Leda was famously seduced by Zeus when the king of the Olympian gods took the form of a swan. As a swan, Zeus fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. Read Poem Read Analysis Cite William Butler Yeats Nationality: Greece The play is about the disconnection of women in society and challenges societal expectations of childbirth. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Golems Origin & History | What is a Golem? Leda had two twin daughters, Helen and Clytemnestra. Io in Greek Mythology: History & Facts | Who is Io in Greek Mythology? While not nearly as well known as her sister Helen, Clytemnestra also played a major role related to the Trojan War. There are other stories of Zeus transforming himself into other forms as a means of seduction or deception, so the idea of Zeus as a swan is not outside the realm of the normal in Greek myth. According to Ovid, Leda was famed for her beautiful black hair and snowy white skin. Leda and Her Four Children Leda gave birth to four children after some time. Correggio was a Renaissance artist who created a large painting of Leda and the swan in a forest scene. Jord, Norse Earth Goddess | Mythology, Family & Names, Belenus Mythology, Cult & Facts | The Celtic God of Fire. Read Poem Read Analysis Cite William Butler Yeats Nationality: Greece Yeats's Geometry and Gyres As previously noted, the paternity of the four children is not consistent among the different sources. Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Pleuron in Aetolia. [20], Cy Twombly executed an abstract version of Leda and the Swan in 1962. Dryad, Greek Tree Nymphs: Mythology & Names | What is a Dryad? Daimons Overview & Facts | Ancient Greek Mythological Demons, Erebus Overview, Mythology & Facts | Greek God of Darkness & Shadows, Iris: Messenger of the Gods | Greek Goddess of the Rainbow, Keres Overview, Mythology & Facts | Greek Goddesses of Death, Nyx Overview, Mythology & Facts | Greek Goddess of the Night. Two other important Renaissance painters, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, also painted Leda and the swan, but their works have been lost. [5], The earliest known explicit Renaissance depiction is one of the many woodcut illustrations to Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a book published in Venice in 1499. Leda was famously seduced by Zeus when the king of the Olympian gods took the form of a swan. While each of these four children are quite notable, Helen of Troy is likely the one that most people have heard of. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. This is definitely not the case in Yeats's graphic version. The broken wall, the burning roof and tower This is definitely not the case in Yeats's graphic version. In Greek mythology, Leda is the wife of King Tyndareus and queen of Sparta. But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?, Image Credit: Antonio da Correggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Judgement of Paris Mythology & Facts | What is the Apple of Discord? Gallery Others like you also viewed Sparrow Sacred Birds Categories Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Pleuron in Aetolia. Their consummation, on the same night as Leda lay with her husband Tyndareus, resulted in two eggs from which hatched Helen (later known as the beautiful "Helen of Troy"), Clytemnestra, and Castor and Pollux (also known as the Dioscuri). The collection's closing pice de rsistance was a Leda-inspired swan dress. The result of this union, which occurred on the banks of the River Eurotas, was an egg from which the beautiful Helen and Polydeuces were born. (read the full definition & explanation with examples). Leda was famously seduced by Zeus when the king of the Olympian gods took the form of a swan. Zeus with Leda and an egg sitting on a throne (but no swan in sight) is seen on Attic red-figure pottery of the mid- to late-5th century BCE. This Spartan princess would eventually be granted immortality by Artemis. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem. Chimera Overview & Facts | What is the Chimera in Greek Mythology? Leda's story is, therefore, not at all unusual by the standards of Greek mythology, though it may seem strange to modern readers. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. In this avine form he seduces and rapes Leda, the Queen of Sparta. Thank you! How can those terrified vague fingers push. Did she put on his knowledge with his power How can those terrified vague fingers push. Other artists have produced replicas according to surviving sketches and fragments. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Upon learning of the murder of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus grown son Orestes believed himself honor-bound to kill Clytemnestra and acted accordingly. Learn about Leda and the myth of her relationship with Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. The same night Leda slept with her husband Tyndareus as they were trying to conceive and to prosper their family with children. She is the daughter of King Thestius of Aetolia, meaning that she comes from a royal lineage. Oni, Japanese Demon: Origins & Stories | What is an Oni? Leda was a royal in Greek mythology who had a brief dalliance with the king of the gods whom had assumed the form of a swan. Python in Greek Mythology: Role & Location | What was the Python? But feel the strange heart beating where it lies? Her skin is alabaster, tinted with pink and peachy tones which contrast with the stark white of the swans feathers. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Yeats's Biography They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Cartwright, M. (2017, February 16). Although she did not accomplish much in the grand scheme beyond her work as a mother, she was quite beautiful and her beauty is what brings her into the world of Greek mythology. Priapus History, Mythology & Facts | Who is the Greek God Priapus? Later on in the same day as her unknowing encounter with Zeus, Leda would sleep with her husband, the king of Sparta. Yeats and his impact on his native country. Leda and the Swan, a 16th-century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo, Image Credit: After Michelangelo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. World History Encyclopedia, 16 Feb 2017. [18] After something of a hiatus in the 18th and early 19th centuries (apart from a very sensuous Boucher,[19]), Leda and the Swan became again a popular motif in the later 19th and 20th centuries, with many Symbolist and Expressionist treatments. the swan upon leda refers to a story in greek mythology ab zeus wanting and lusting after leda but the feelings not being reciprocated, so he transforms himself into a swan and r*pes her, forcing her to bear his children. She is also the main subject in Honor Desmond Sharrer's "Leda & the Folks", a large painting focusing as well on the parents of entertainer Elvis Presley and currently located at the Smith College Museum of Art. Leonardo da Vinci began making studies in 1504 for a painting, apparently never executed, of Leda seated on the ground with her children.