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The Siren Song Margaret Atwood Analysis

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Sirens, greek mythological creatures, make a notable appearance as one of Odyseuss's many obstacles obstructing his journey home in "The Odyssey". Though that might be the trilling seductress' most memorable cameo, they are expanded upon further in Margaret Atwood's poem, " The Siren Song." In both the epic and the poem Sirens are portrayed in a cunning, ruthless light through their different tones and point of view. The principle contrast between the two literary work's portrayals of the sirens is the point of view. The narrator in the "Siren Song" is an actual siren, lending insight on herself, a rare point of view for a reader since most commonly siren encounters are written through the eyes of the sailors. The Siren sings, "I will tell you the secret...only you...the song nobody knows." Through this …show more content…

The entirety of the encounter with the sirens in the Odyssey emits a sense of dramatic frenzy, panic at the inevitable. In a rush Odyseuss recounts, "Now with a sharp sword i sliced an ample wheel into pieces...they bound me hand and foot in the tight ship." The sense of urgency shines an unflattering light on the sirens, describing them as cruel and ruthless, a profound and imminent danger. On the other side of the spectrum the "Siren song" conveys a tone of absolute ease, so slow and methodological that it is almost hypnotic. She sings, "You are unique at last. Alas it is a boring song but it works every time. " The Siren is conniving and cunning, casting off an aura of ambiguity and caution. Sirens are mythological creatures that lure sailors to their death by singing. They make an appearance in both "The Odyssey" and "Siren Song". In these works, tone and point of view convey them as fearsome and clever, dangerous to men and sly in obtaining what they want. Despite the differences in the poem and the excerpt it is clear that the sirens are well aware of just how much power they

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