The attitude in Atwood’s Siren Song by Margret Atwood is captured by an image of the sirens described as “picturesque and mythical.” Atwood draws her readers in by having the sirens use their sex appeal to lure in men and force them to “leap overboard in squadrons.” She then goes on and gives the readers the assumption that the sirens are bored with their beauty, and are almost sickened with the same routine and outcome. “Shall I tell you the secret, and if I do will you get me out of this bird suit?” that implies that the sirens are bored. We see that the song is “irresistible and anyone who has heard it is dead or can’t remember it.” This makes us as readers more interested. The sirens trick men with their beautiful song, and lure them into their deadly
The poem goes from describing how the siren is so deceptive to how the siren tries to deceive the reader. In this way she hooks the men and pulls them in irresistibly. She even states at the end that it is a boring song but it works every
The Feminist Approach in Margaret Atwood’s “Siren Song” In Margaret Atwood's “Siren Song”, the feminist analysis is applied in various ways. This poem describes how a woman very cleverly takes advantage of the negative perception that man has compelled on a woman, by using a mental approach to prey on the man’s ego in order to destroy them. It reflects the sexual excitement of man towards woman, thus revealing the prevailing qualities of womanhood that validate the wrong perception of men being greater than women. Atwood integrates the feminist analysis in the “Siren Song” while also making a reference to Greek myths to prove a solid point about the weakness and idiocy of men. The speaker is one of the three sirens, which in this poem points to Greek mythology.
This diction at the beginning of the poem communicates the idea of temptation being strong and powerful. The speaker immediately opens the theme of dangerous desires in the first line by expressing her view that “everyone/ would like to learn” this song to lure the men in close to themselves (1-2). This line also represents an element of exaggeration because the sirens never left their cliff and so to claim that “everyone” has a desire to learn the song is a hyperbole (1). This shows the speakers attitude towards her lifestyle and that she is attempting to convey that she is indeed trapped away from everyone. Atwood also uses colons in the first stanza to represent that the poem in its entirety is a description and definition of the irresistible siren song.
These creatures sing to lure sailors to their doom. Odysseus instructs his crew to melt wax in their ears to block out the sound. As for Odysseus he is roped to the mast so he can hear the song but not follow it. He is always figuring out how to push his luck which will come back to
Isaac Lee Period 2 A Deadly Song As Odysseus was approaching the dreaded island of the sirens he is keen on protecting his men from the voices of the terrible beasts. The sirens were monsters that could lull any soul into coming upon their island by their beautiful song but only to devour that unfortunate person which is slightly ironic because signs of death were all around the sirens yet their song is too powerful. In the Homer’s epic poem the “Odyssey” and Margaret Atwood’s poem the “Siren Song” the sirens are described similarly and differently using tone, point of view and various poetic devices. The tone of the “Odyssey” is rather ominous and also a little sad while in “Siren Song”. The tone is melancholy and is rings of sadness and boredom.
Their desire for Circe to exploit their weakness, trick them, and turn them into pigs. Odysseus, with advice from Hermes, goes to Circe’s island to rescue his men. When the goddess tries to strike at him with her sword, he lunges toward her. Odysseus draws his sword; perhaps Homer wants to show a woman’s appeal and sexuality as a threat to the male dominance. Even though Odysseus is wise and resourceful, there are times he finds himself lost when he is in these type of situations with seductive women.
This story also shows Odysseus’ resourceful attribute when he uses the rams for concealment. In the story of the Sirens he uses the wax from the ship to block the ears of his comrades, which shows resourcefulness. Additionally, the story of the Sirens shows that Odysseus is unable to endure the temptations of the sirens, as he struggles and calls to be released. From surviving this ultimate test of forbearance, Odysseus learns endurance and later, when he returns to Ithaca he will need this skill. His temper during these four books can be ungovernable, as he says: ‘Now when Eurylochus said that, I considered drawing the long sword from my sturdy side and lopping his head off to roll in the dust, but my men held me back and calmed me down’1.
Even Odysseus’s hunger for kleos is a kind of temptation. He submits to it when he reveals his name to Polyphemus, bringing Poseidon’s wrath upon him and his men. In the case of the Sirens, the theme is revisited simply for its own interest. With their ears plugged, the crew members sail safely by the Sirens’ island, while Odysseus, longing to hear the Sirens’ sweet song, is saved from folly only by his foresighted command to his crew to keep him bound to the ship’s mast. 2.
Circe warns Odysseus of the Sirens and how their beautiful singing brings men in ships so close to the land that they crash on the rocks. They are irresistible even to those who know the fate of listening to their song, “There are bones of dead men rotting in a pile beside them and flayed skins shrivel around the spot” (Book 12, 47-49). Odysseus advices his crew to put balls of wax in their ears, and commands his men to tie him to the mast of the ship. In this case Odysseus and his crew conquer the temptress’ and do not fulfill their desires. This example contrasts most because Homer never describes the way the Sirens look, just how enchanting and sweet their song is.