Diction And Irony In Margaret Atwood's Siren Song

“Temptation is the feeling we get when encountered by an opportunity to do what we innately know we shouldn't” (Steve Marboli). The men in Margaret Atwood’s poem, “Siren Song,” experience this temptation and betrayal of their natural instinct. The narrator, a mythological being called a Siren, lures sailors from the sea and turns them into their prey. Throughout the poem, the Siren tells about their infamous and irresistible song that eventually leads to the men’s demise. The Siren’s beauty and voice cause the sailors to abandon their ship even when there are obvious indications telling them that they should not. In “Siren Song,” Atwood utilizes diction and irony to portray man’s greatest weakness: the temptation of women.

The author’s use of diction and word choice emphasizes how the irresistibility of women for men can essentially lead to their downfall. The Siren begins the poem by describing the type of song they sing that draws men into their deadly grasp. She explains how “the song /…is irresistible” (Atwood 2-3). The Siren herself labeling it as “irresistible” proves the extreme enticement of women for men, specifically the sailors. She has witnessed countless men sacrifice their own lives simply because they are so

The beautiful mythological creatures use their “irresistible” song to “force” men to leave their ships and from there, they helplessly become victims of the Sirens. The application of irony and diction help emphasize just how tempted men can be by a woman even to the point where they put themselves in danger. Atwood verifies that the sailors, and men in general, are so enticed by women that they will ignore their natural instinct, connecting back to Steve Marboli’s quote, “Temptation is the feeling we get when encountered by an opportunity to do what we innately know we shouldn't” (Steve