Commonly, the Swan is understood to tell the story of male heroes, honoured by the Greek god, Zeus, for their courage and sense of honour. However, visible during September – the month of my birth, it also tells another story. One for which I can account, as another mythological perspective.
Odette, the white swan, gave her life out of faith in the prince who had vowed to marry her and liberate her from captivity by the hands of the magician, Von Rothbart. Enchanted, as the prince became, by black Odile – his promises shackled the white swan to the ground, slowly suffocating her and claiming the wind underneath her wings. In victory, Von Rothbart clutched her to his chest where she sang, tearfully, her swan song. So beautiful did her voice sound that it rose towards the sky, breaking free from her wilting body and taking flight, soon finding its place amongst the stars. So far away, and yet Odette never ceased craning her long, slender neck towards earth where the prince may mourn his loss, but is rendered no less alive by the tragedy.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-08-23 01:54 am (UTC)Commonly, the Swan is understood to tell the story of male heroes, honoured by the Greek god, Zeus, for their courage and sense of honour.
However, visible during September – the month of my birth, it also tells another story. One for which I can account, as another mythological perspective.