“Swan upon Leda” is an indie (alternative) song written and sung by Andrew Hozier Byrne from the album “Unreal Unearth.” The song is about women’s empowerment and talks about the violation of a woman’s bodily autonomy by people in power. It acknowledges the fact that women live in a world where they cannot make decisions for themselves, especially when it comes to their own well-being. The singer posted on social media the inspiration for the song saying, “Egyptian journalist and author Mona Eltahawy once referred to global systems that control and endanger women as the world’s ‘oldest form of occupation.’ Ever since hearing her speak in Dublin, I wanted to explore that thought in a piece.”(Hozier via Instagram, 4th October, 2022). His motivation for releasing the song was because of the overturning of Roe V. Wade, a legislation act that granted legal abortions to women, and the arrest of an Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini by the morality police for not wearing her hijab according to the Islamic dress code established, and is meant to be an act of solidarity for the same. “We’re reminded again by the protests in Iran that progressivism is a global movement. The recent pushbacks against civil boundaries or borders, and like all forms of occupation, their legacies can be immeasurable in both the personal and political spheres.” (Hozier via Instagram, 4th October, 2022). The song references the poem “Leda and the Swan ” by Irish poet W. B Yeats. 

The song begins by describing a young woman in labour. The line “A crying child pushes a child into the night” depicts not only the physical pain of birthing a child but also the emotional pain felt because of her unwillingness to give birth and be responsible for the child, especially when she herself is referred to as one. The reason for her giving birth against her will is “to enact at last the perfect plan” which is a reference to the poem “Leda and the Swan” by W.B Yeats where he talks about the sexual assault of a woman named Leda by the Greek god Zeus (who turns into a swan), who then gives birth to two children, one of whom plays a vital part in the Trojan War. Yeats in his poem, does not comment on whether what happened to Leda was right or wrong but rather raises the question of whether Leda understands the complexity of the situation. The need for Zeus to force himself onto her is to fulfil destiny and let things play out the way they are destined to, even if it violates a woman’s autonomy. Hozier tries to explain what people in power think about copulation and pregnancy as acts that may lead to fulfilment of some grand plan to inflict upon “weaker” gender. Children brought up under such a system eventually end up holding similar beliefs where women are repressed by religious or political beliefs, hence the line, “one more sweet boy to be butchered by man.” 

Hozier uses the metaphor “the gateway to the world” in the chorus to show the process of being born and that it was not in the control of him (the child) to be born. The next two lines, “Would never belong to angels, Had never belonged to man” might mean one of two things. It could mean that giving birth is a right that only rests with women and not man or even an angel could violate it, or it could mean that the right to give birth cannot fully belong to women as long as repressive systems for women continue to exist. The line also might be a biblical reference when angel Gabriel asks Mary if she wants to be impregnated with baby Jesus before her marriage, thereby asking for her consent before making her bear the burden of a child born out of wedlock. The next two lines: “Swan upon Leda Empire upon Jerusalem” essentially hold the same meaning. By deciding to force himself onto Leda, Zeus puts himself in a position of power, indirectly symbolising that Leda is weaker, that her significance of her dignity is no greater than the fulfillment of The Plan. Hence, depicting the repression of the so-called weak by the strong. Jerusalem, being a holy place, had constantly been put through the tyranny of multiple empires, including the Persians, Egyptians, Arabs, Romans, etc., again showing the oppressive systems controlling women and their bodily autonomy. The meaning of the line is repeated with a different phrasing for emphasis. 

The second verse starts off by describing a grandmother who smuggles abortion medicines across the border to perform illegal abortions. The line “Past where the god child-soldier Setanta stood dead” is a reference to Setanta, a hero from Irish mythology who was the son of the god Lugh. He became a soldier at a young age and died a hero’s death on a battlefield. Setanta is an icon for Irish nationalism and his death may symbolise the death of progressive thinking and ideologies and the ascension of conservatism. The hostility between Ireland and England led to the recruitment of young boys in the army and this might also refer to the previous line from the song “one more sweet boy to be butchered by man” where boys are forced to experience the tragedy of war and its implications from a very young age. 

“Some frightened boy waves her on, she offers him a mother’s smile and soon she’s gone” shows the mental state of these boys who experienced the brutality of war and conflict at a young age but the smile she offers them brings a sense of maternal comfort to them. 

The line “Where nature unmakes the boundary, The pillar of myth still stands” talks about how boundaries or distinctions between sexes, genders, and religious and political beliefs are only created by humans and make no difference to nature. But this indifference to nature is not enough to enable people to let go of their prejudices. “The pillar of myth still stands” might also refer to the death of Setanta, who just before his death on the battlefield, binds himself to a standing stone so he can die on his feet. This might symbolise that, despite the lingering prejudices, there is a hope for better times since Setanta is a symbol for Irish nationalism. The chorus is repeated, followed by the line “occupier upon ancient land” which is clearly a reference to the colonisation of Ireland by the British. It might also point towards the occupation of Palestine by Israel. Again, similar to the first chorus, the lines “Swan upon Leda, occupier upon ancient land”, mean the same. The song ends with the first chorus repeated for emphasis and leaves you to question whether this system created for women truly benefits them or not.

The song is meant to stand in solidarity with all the people who live under such repressive systems. Hozier is renowned for writing protest music and this song, laced with its activist nature, has comparatively softer and more delicate tones. In contrast to his previous songs centering social issues, which are characterized by loud drums, fearless riffs and direct messaging, this song takes a storytelling approach, referencing various historical and mythical stories. Instead of a sense of anger, the song evokes a sense of melancholic realization with its smooth transition from soft and subtle vocals to more open harmonies. Similar to how Leda suffered, the song also suggests the repetition of history and the incessant domination of men when it comes to women, especially their right to have freedom over making their own decisions when it comes to their bodies. The decision has and will always belong to women and women alone.

About the Author:

Hrishita Gulumkar is a poet and an essayist who likes to write about nature and not just nature in a literal sense but also the nature of things. The inspiration for her writings is usually drawn from books, movies, and music and she likes to follow a descriptive style of writing to expound on the various themes that she comes across in different media. This also includes developing her writing style in terms of political and societal issues.
Currently, she is a third year computer science engineering student with a keenness for statistics and data science. She finds a common ground between her technical interests and her love for literature and that is to understand and explore various ideas. She is also deeply enthusiastic about fashion as it is equally important for her to express herself visually similar to how she expresses herself in her writings.

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