eak could let her drop (15). Despite these brutal images, we can see more than brute force at work. Leda is unable to push away the "feathered glory" (6) and gives in. In both poems, women function as tools, which the male constituents utilize in an attempt to feel more whole. In Porphyria Lover, Porphyria is trying to seduce the narrator; she is in control of the situation. He wants to be with her but she will not give herself completely to him. However, she still wants to continue this affair with the narrator. He knows that she has an unmatched love for him, I looked up at her eyesat last I knewPorphyria worshiped me (31-33), but he wants her to be his completely. He realizes what he must do, he will kill her, if he cannot have her, then no one will have her. He has no consideration for what she wants, he only thinks about what will make him happy. At this point is where a beautiful thing like love goes bad. In Leda and the Swan, the swan (Zeus) has an uncontrollable attraction toward Leda. Instead of asking for her permission or perhaps even trying to court her, he disguises himself as a swan and forcefully grabs hold of the back of her neck and has sex with her. He does not think of her feelings, he just decides what he is going to do and does it. In the midst of everything, Leda does not struggle to be free but instead gives in to his dominance. By doing this she gets something in return, she gets some of his knowledge and power. In doing this, Zeus makes his love turn bad because the children that she gives birth to start a war and end up destroying each other. At the time, the poem was denied by many Irish periodicals because it was indecent and dealt with rape....
