Leda gives birth to two sets of twins, two of whom are fathered by Tyndareus and two of whom are fathered by Zeus. 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. Zeus, the chief deity, is the Olympian god of sky and thunder. Fairy Overview, Creatures & Folklore | What is a Fairy? Yet, the reference to Marlene Dietrich's costume was rarely (if ever) mentioned at the time. Ragnarok in Norse Mythology: Overview & Story | What is Ragnarok? License. However, only a few days later, Dior openly defended the inspiration of the dress referring to it on its Twitter account as a recreation of a costume worn by Marlene Dietrich, who was, famously, an important and loyal client of the French brand during the 40s and 50s. Leda Greek Myth 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. Leda Painters and poets. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. 10The broken wall, the burning roof and tower. Sleipnir in Norse Mythology | Origin, Role & Depiction, Nerthus in Norse Mythology | Origin, Family & Role, Idun in Norse Mythology | Origin, Role & Symbol, Pax, Roman Goddess of Peace | Mythology, Family & Role, Mythology vs. [37] Notably, Chiuri's 2021 Dior dress featured feathered swan-wings spanning over the chest and shoulder. He then either rapes or seduces her and impregnates her. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. 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. According to Greek myth, Leda was the mother of mankind. (read the full definition & explanation with examples). Leda and the Swan, a 16th-century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo, Image Credit: After Michelangelo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. [citation needed], There is a life-sized marble statue of Leda and the Swan at the Jai Vilas Palace Museum in Gwalior, Northern Madhya Pradesh, India. She strokes the bird's head and neck and kisses it on the beak. Greek text available from the same website. Lastly, the island of Socotra was known by the Greeks as the island of the Dioscuri.. 12 Labors of Hercules: Myth & History | Why Did Hercules Do 12 Labors? WebLeda was a beautiful woman, and her beauty attracted Zeus' attention from his throne on Mount Olympus. The song is called Swan Upon Leda.[9]. In addition, a sculptural group, similar to the Prado Roman group illustrated, was believed until at least the 19th century to be by Michelangelo. 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 play is about the disconnection of women in society and challenges societal expectations of childbirth. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs Leda and the Swan by Franois Boucher, 1740, oil on canvas. The Morrígan Mythology, Symbol & Names | Celtic Goddess of War, Fenrir Stories, Symbol & Facts | Fenris-Wolf in Norse Mythology, Ares and Aphrodite | Mythology, Relationship & Children, The Anunnaki in Sumerian Mythology | Gods, Origin & History, Greek Creation Myth: Summary & Gods | The Creation in Greek Mythology. Desperate to keep his twin brother around, Pollux was given the choice of either joining Zeus on Mt. https://www.worldhistory.org/Leda/. From the hatched egg Helen is born, as in the other version of the myth, and Leda raises the girl as her own daughter. The collection's closing pice de rsistance was a Leda-inspired swan dress. In the post-classical arts, it became a potent source of inspiration. Galatea in Greek Mythology: Story & Facts | Who was Galatea? All of which were popular subjects in Renaissance and Baroque artworks, and many of which were heavily erotic. Dragon Mythology, Types & Interpretations | Are Dragons Real? He is king of all other gods and men, and the key figure in Greek mythology. 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. She was a queen of Sparta and mother of beautiful Helen who sparked the Trojan War, and the Dioscuri twins. [15], The last very famous Renaissance painting of the subject is Correggio's elaborate composition of c. 1530 (Berlin); this too was damaged whilst in the collection of Philippe II, Duke of Orlans, the Regent of France in the minority of Louis XV. Philoctetes, Greek Hero: Mythology & Depictions | Who was Philoctetes? Another account of the myth states that Nemesis () was the mother of Helen, and was also impregnated by Zeus in the guise of a swan. Finally, Leda being pursued by a swan is depicted in the central panel (emblemata) of a Roman period mosaic from the sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaipafos on Cyprus and is typical of the more erotic depictions of the swan myth from the Late Classical period onwards. While each of these four children are quite notable, Helen of Troy is likely the one that most people have heard of. WebLeda and the Swan. The earliest depictions show the pair love-making with some explicitnessmore so than in any depictions of a human pair made by artists of high quality in the same period. The third voice, a girl who is pregnant and leaves her baby, mentions "the great swan, with its terrible look,/ Coming at me," insinuating that the girl was raped. The child born from Leda and Zeus was Helen. Leda and the Swan After the rape, Leda gets pregnant and gives birth to Helen of Troy. Kitsune History, Mythology & Facts | Foxes in Japanese Folklore. Did a lion apologize? Leda (mythology These two men would lead Sparta against the Athenian forces in order to reclaim Helen from Paris. Read Poem Read Analysis Cite William Butler Yeats Nationality: Greece She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Leda & the Swan. The Later interpretation. WebLeda was admired by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. Semiramis, Semi-Legendary Queen | History, Facts & Legends. The myth of Leda and the swan has also inspired writers. Angrboda, Mother of Fenrir: Mythology & Story | Who is Angrboda? Have a specific question about this poem? Danae and Zeus: Family & Mythology | Who was the Mother of Perseus? The split is almost always half mortal, half divine, although the pairings do not always reflect the children's heritage pairings. 2 She was the wife of Tyndareus, by whom she became the mother of Timandra, Clytemnestra, and Philonoe. Leda and Zeus transformed into a swan, Palazzo Nuovo (Capitoline Museums), Rome. Although Dietrich's costume remains largely unknown to the general public, Bjrk's dress "attained cult status instantly"[36] and became an icon of red carpet culture. Retrieved from, collection of Philippe II, Duke of Orlans, Section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Special Exhibitions: Poets, Lovers, and Heroes in Italian Mythological Prints, "Fresco depicting erotic scene uncovered in Pompeii ruins", Bacchiacca (Francesco d'Ubertino): Leda and the Swan | Work of Art | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Being So Caught up: Exploring Religious Projection and Ethical Appeal in Leda and the Swan", "The monument of the Dioscuri in Stoupa was inaugurated", "Troubled Blood | Latest Crime Novel By Robert Galbraith", https://twitter.com/dior/status/1407081359496167428, Version of Leda and the Swan myth, in the "Fabulae" of Hyginus, Bas relief from the British Museum that appears as the scene does in the Yeats sonnet. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Read Poem Read Analysis Cite William Butler Yeats Nationality: Greece Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. [11], A fresco depicting the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan was unearthed at the Pompeii archeological site.[12]. Rubenss 1601Ledawas clearly modelled on that of Michelangelos. She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Leda & the Swan. The second twin son, Castor, was born to Leda's husband Tyndareus on the very same night the egg hatched. She is the daughter of King Thestius of Aetolia, meaning that she comes from a royal lineage. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. This is definitely not the case in Yeats's graphic version. Zeus also commemorated the birth of Helen by creating the constellation Cygnus (), the Swan, in the sky. Leda and the Swan Introduction Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 16 February 2017. Bull p. 167. The Norns in Norse Mythology | Names, Roles & Facts. Michelangelo's cartoon for the workgiven to his assistant Antonio Mini, who used it for several copies for French patrons before his death in 1533survived for over a century. 3By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill. - Definition and Uses, Causes of Mutations: Recombination & Translocation, Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators - Writing Essay Topics & Rubric, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Leda and the Swan Introduction Ancient Egyptian Religion | History, Mythology & Culture, Eros Overview, Mythology & Facts | Greek God of Love. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Fates Deities & Myths | Who were the Moirai in Greek Mythology? In the song "Power and Glory" from Lou Reed's 1992 album Magic and Loss, Reed recalls the experience of seeing his friend dying of cancer and makes reference to the myth, "I saw isotopes introduced into his lungs / trying to stop the cancerous spread / And it made me think of Leda and The Swan / and gold being made from lead"[citation needed], Sylvia Plath alludes to the myth in her radio play Three Women written for the BBC in 1962. Some ancient writers thought she was the mother by Tyndareus of Clytemnestra , wife of King Agamemnon, and of Castor, one of the Heavenly Twins. WebLeda. Sometimes, Zeus is said to have seduced Leda on the very same night she slept with her husband King Tyndareus. Swan [citation needed], Several references to the myth are presented in novels by Angela Carter, including Nights at the Circus and The Magic Toyshop. Leda and the Swan For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Detail of Peitho, Leda and Hypnos from a painting depicting the tale of Leda and the Swan. He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. [6] An engraving dating to 1503 at the latest, by Giovanni Battista Palumba, also shows the couple in coitus, but in deserted countryside. Creation Myths Overview & Examples | What is a Creation Myth? Chaos in Greek Mythology: Overview & Facts | Who was Chaos? LitCharts Teacher Editions. Leda & the Swan For example, in Rubens Leda, she is shown fully nude, with the swan caressing her most intimate areas. Orion the Hunter: Story & Constellation | Who is Orion in Greek Mythology? Leda also had three other daughters by Tyndareus: Timandra, Phoebe, and Philonoe. How can those terrified vague fingers push Philonoe. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. According to Ovid, she was famed for her beautiful black hair and snowy skin. Leda Where Athena promised to bestow Paris with supreme battle tactics and Hera promised him rulership, Aphrodite promised to reward Paris with the most beautiful woman. [citation needed], The Philadelphia cigar maker 'Bobrow Brothers' made a brand of cigars with the name 'Leda' which was sold at least into the 1940s. Da Vinci's work is notable because it shows the children hatching from their eggs alongside Leda and the swan, whereas Michelangelo's version shows Leda and the swan against a backdrop of red cloth. While mythological sources vary, Yeats takes the view that the encounter between Zeus and Leda was certainly not consensual. It is also odd that, unlike the case of Heracles, not even Ledas children are punished by Hera for being the product of infidelity. Nagual Origin & Significance | What is a Nagual in Mythology? In 2022, Irish singer-songwriter Hozier released a song entitled Swan Upon Leda that uses the story of Leda and the swan as a metaphor for oppression and colonialism. Did an eagle apologize? Leda This is definitely not the case in Yeats's graphic version. Leda (mythology Leda and the Swan Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed Pollux chose the latter option and thus, he and Castor were free to travel between Hades and Olympus. Hodr, God of Darkness in Norse Mythology | Origin, Family & Role. By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, Tyr, Norse God of War | Origins, Attributes & Mythology, Triton God of the Sea | Overview, Mythology & Significance, Seven Cities of Gold Mythology & Facts | Seven Cities of Cibola. Nemesis next changes into various other creatures including a hare, a bee, and then a mouse, but Zeus merely becomes a swifter or more predatory creature each time until, finally as a swan, Zeus captures Nemesis while she is a goose. Help us and translate this definition into another language! Combining psychological realism with a mystic vision, it describes the swan's rape of Leda. The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats During the events of the Trojan War, Clytemnestra would cheat on Agamemnon with Aegisthus and the two would slay Agamemnon after his return from Troy. He transformed into a swan and appeared in front of her; he seduced her and slept with her. Yeats's life, with a focus on his development as a poet. Thyrsus Origin & Symbol | What is the Staff of Dionysus? 1A sudden blow: the great wings beating still, 2Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed. In his arresting rendition of the myth, Yeats uses the traditional sonnet form to new ends, capturing the powerful forces by which history is made and the human impact of fate's violence and indifference.
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