A Brief Comparison Of Ulysses And Siren's Song

Both "Ulysses and the Sirens" by John William Waterhouse and "Siren's Song" by Margaret Atwood uses the myth of the siren's song to show that most people have similar, if not the same, mindsets which very few even try to break free from. “Ulysses and the Sirens”, is a painting, painted by John William Waterhouse in 1909, while “Siren’s Song”, is a poem written by Margaret Atwood in 1974. Though they are different types of art, they both are equally as capable of getting their point across. Both compositions of art are based off of Homer’s Epic Poem “The Odyssey” which was written in 700-800 B.C. In “The Odyssey”, Ulysses or Odysseus is an arrogant and prideful man who is on his way home from Troy. His journey home takes 10 years, and the only word to describe it is dangerous.

“Siren Song”, written by Margaret Atwood, is a poem that resembles a song. A song that the mythological

“Even as a child, his gift for combining poetry and reality is a rarity in English art, and it enable him to intercept classical myth and legend in a quite extraordinarily convincing way” (Wood 244). His paintings of classical and mythical scenes show a true mix between Neoclassical themes and Romantic style. His art and style will help inspire and develop other artists throughout the 19th century. “Warehouse is a brilliant dramatist of subjects and narratives. He’ll find a composition for a complex narrative subject that gives this powerful interpretation at a glance, even if it’s an unfamiliar story.” (Gunzburg, Darrelyn 71) “Waterhouse's many works extend for over decades. He tends to be regarded as being to do with popular culture, because many people like his work. This was not true in his lifetime. He was a high culture painter who appealed more to other painters than to the tastes of the masses.” (Gunzburg, Darrelyn 72) “Waterhouse is now recognized as one of the greatest of England’s late-Victorian romantic painters.” (Wood