What does Yeats hope to accomplish with his portrayal of a rape from mythology? What themes does this poem reveal about the present through its portra

First and foremost, keeping in mind this poem is based on a mythological story, the fact that Yeats is describing a rape in the form of a poem, or even at all, is rather disturbing. Also, it is very bizarre that the act of rape is illustrated with the use of a swan. In mythology, it is said that Zeus transformed into a swan and raped Leda. She then laid two eggs, one giving birth to Clytemnestra who would then become the wife of Agamemnon, who in the poem is dead. In Greek mythology Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter and as a consequence, Clytemnestra kills him. I feel as though this poem is suggesting that a connection, either loving or forceful, will result in violence, death, and the killings of one another.

I suspect that the theme this poem reveals about the present, through the portrayal of the past, deals with the general idea being derived from this poem, rape. In today’s day and age you will hear news reports and stories of rape and how men have this fierce craving for domination. I feel as though Yeats is trying to portray the power that a man may have over a female, especially the physical power, when he uses words like “helpless” and phrases like “her nape caught in his bill”. This resembles the overall weakness possessed by women and the physical strength within men.