The Swan
The Swan - meaning Summary
A Comic View of Vanity
This short, humorous poem mocks a male swan’s vanity. The speaker calls the male swan a "narcissistic snob" who constantly admires himself. A punchline about Pavlova underlines the bird’s pretension and cultural obliviousness, turning natural grace into comic self-importance. The tone is playful and satirical, compressing character sketch and joke into four brisk lines.
Read Complete AnalysesScholars call the masculine swan a cob; I call him a narcissistic snob. He looks in the mirror over and over, And claims to have never heard of Pavlova.
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