Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Durrell's poem "Swans" is a reflective and richly imagistic piece that explores the elegance, mythology, and underlying tension associated with these majestic birds. Through the poem, Durrell delves into the juxtaposition of beauty and the unsettling undertones that accompany it, ultimately crafting a meditation on the nature of perception and the elusive quality of appearances.

The poem begins with a hint of skepticism: "Fraudulent perhaps in that they gave / No sense of muscle but a swollen languor." This line immediately casts doubt on the seemingly effortless grace of the swans, suggesting that their beauty might be deceptive, masking the strength and effort required to maintain such an image. The swans are described as moving "idly, idly / As soap-bubbles drift from a clay-pipe," an image that reinforces their ethereal and almost insubstantial presence on the water.

Durrell's description of the swans "mowing the lake in tapestry" evokes the meticulous and intricate patterns they create as they glide through the water, further emphasizing their elegance and the regal air they possess as they pass by, "King, queen and cygnets, one by one." However, this procession is tinged with a sense of exhaustion and perhaps inevitability, as if the swans are performing a role that they are bound to by nature or by expectation.

The poem then shifts to a contemplation of the swans' place in cultural and mythological history. Durrell references "anecdotes of Gauguin or of Rabelais," drawing a connection between the swans and their symbolic roles in art and literature. Gauguin, a post-impressionist painter known for his depictions of exotic and mythological subjects, and Rabelais, a French Renaissance writer known for his satirical and often bawdy works, both represent different facets of the swans' cultural significance. The mention of "bolsters for the Greeks" alludes to the swans' presence in Greek mythology, particularly in the myth of Leda and the Swan, where Zeus transforms into a swan to seduce Leda. Durrell's reference to "rubber Lohengrins" further adds a layer of irony, as Lohengrin, the swan knight from Wagner's opera, is here reduced to a commercialized, almost trivialized image.

The poem then takes a darker turn with the "harsh clap / Of the wooden beaks," which "split" the mirror of the lake from end to end. This abrupt and violent image shatters the serene, idyllic scene, revealing the underlying tension and fragility of the swans' beauty. The "empty space / Which follows them about" is stained by their whiteness, suggesting that their presence leaves a lasting, perhaps haunting, impression that lingers even after they have passed.

The final line, "We sit like drunkards and inhale the swans," encapsulates the complex emotions evoked by the swans. The comparison to drunkards suggests a kind of intoxication or fascination with the swans' beauty, yet there is also an implication of helplessness or resignation, as if the observers are passive and overwhelmed by the spectacle before them.

In "Swans," Durrell masterfully explores the duality of beauty—its surface allure and the deeper, more unsettling realities that it can conceal. The swans, while outwardly graceful and regal, are also symbols of deception, myth, and the fragility of appearances. Through his rich imagery and allusions, Durrell invites the reader to question the nature of what we perceive and the stories we construct around the things we find beautiful.

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