The story of "Leda and the Swan" originates from ancient Greek mythology and was first recorded in the work "Metamorphoses" by the Roman poet Ovid. Leda, a princess of Aetolia, was originally a sea nymph known for her beauty. The swan, however, was none other than Zeus, the king of the gods, who had a penchant for amorous pursuits and the ability to transform into various creatures. At that time, King Tyndareus of Sparta had been exiled by his brothers and found refuge in Aetolia. The king of Aetolia admired Tyndareus and decided to marry his daughter, Leda, to him. After enduring a period of hardship, Tyndareus was delighted to marry a beautiful wife and became so complacent that he forgot to pay tribute to Aphrodite, resulting in her revenge. However, Aphrodite did not retaliate directly against Tyndareus but instead targeted his wife, Leda, with a cunning plan. One fateful day, while Leda was bathing in the lake, Aphrodite transformed Zeus into a swan and herself into an eagle. The eagle chased the swan, and Zeus, in the form of the swan, sought refuge by the lake. Unintentionally, Zeus saw the beautiful bathing Leda and immediately fell in love with her. He landed beside her. Leda was captivated by the swan but remained unaware that it was Zeus in disguise. Taking advantage of the swan’s form, Zeus seduced Leda, who was defenseless, and they engaged in a sexual relationship. As a result of their union, Leda gave birth to Zeus's child. This timeless tale has captivated artists across the ages, inspiring countless artistic interpretations, from works by da Vinci to Boucher. However, these depictions of Leda and the Swan predominantly focus on the celebration and expression of desire. In contrast, W.B. Yeats' poem offers a different perspective, emphasizing the elements of seduction and violence within the story.
Leda and the Swan
A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,
He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.
How can those terrified vague fingers push
The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?
And how can body, laid in that white rush,
But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?
A shudder in the loins engenders there
The broken wall, the burning roof and tower
And Agamemnon dead.
Being so caught up,
So mastered by the brute blood of the air,
Did she put on his knowledge with his power
Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?
"Leda and the Swan" is not a graceful love story but rather a prototype intertwined with patriarchal power, male desire, and a male perspective. From a male point of view, it is filled with fantasies of conquest, sex, and pleasure. However, from a feminist perspective, it is a typical example of rape culture.
Therefore, I incorporated the reality of sexual assault into it, titling it "Leda in the Water." The underwater setting represents the subconscious and the realm of dreams. I projected water ripples as the backdrop and spread a blue cloth on the ground, resembling a river, which I sprinkled with shards of glass. I invited Wang Ping, an Italian-trained singer, to convey Leda's inner thoughts through her vocals. As I recited, I used scissors to cut pieces of A4 paper, with printed content sourced from firsthand accounts of sexual assault survivors found online. Instead of reading the entire text, I selected suggestive words, which, when connected, formed a disjointed and ambiguous modern poem. I recited this improvised poem while walking along the edge of the glass shards. When I finished reading, I lay down on the shards, feeling the pain engulfing my body.
