William Butler Yeats poem, Leda and the Swan and Fred Chappel’s Narcissus and Echo :: Yeats Leda and the Swan Essays

William Butler Yeats poem, Leda and the Swan and Fred Chappel’s Narcissus and Echo Poets use many different stylistic devices to capture the attention of the reader. After all, who wants to read a boring poem? Many times, it is the opening line that acts as the "hook." What better way to capture someone's attention than to incite emotion with the first word. Some poets use form to their advantage. Perhaps by writing the words out in different shapes, they will create a broader readership. Some poets use symbolism, or structure to benefit their artistic license. I prefer the subtler and less common stylistic devices. Fred Chappel, in "Narcissus and Echo," and William Butler Yeats poem, "Leda and the Swan." use different, yet effective stylistic devices to capture the attention of the reader and hold on to them throughout the entire poem. By echoing the last sound of each line in his poem, Chappel is able to create two separate poetic rhythms. The first is the fundamental poem written about two mythological characters. Narcissus, the first character, was so enthralled with his own beauty that he fell in love with his own reflection in a pond. He, being so brokenhearted that he could never be with his true love (himself), wasted away until all that was left was a beautiful flower. Hence that flower called Narcissus. Echo is the other character in this "tragic" love story. She fell in love with Narcissus. This was before he turned into a flower, of course. She followed him, trying to speak to him but in his vanity he did not notice her. She was heartbroken and withered away until all that was left was her voice to follow him. Hence the echo. It was her voice combined with his reflection that Narcissus fell in love with. After all, who wouldn't want to hear their words echoed back to them by their lover? Chappel uses this story as the base for his poem, which seems to be of Narcissus' love. The difference is that the words that are echoed back are not quite the same as the original. They seem to be almost an ironic look into the shallow nature of this character. In the seventh line, Chappel brings this irony to light when he writes, "teasing playfully the one being. Unbeing" (181), almost as if he is trying to tell Narcissus that his love is a pretense.