Some of the things in the text are similar, but some things are absent within the text. In “The Odyssey”, the Sirens are not bird-like, there is no skulls and bodies laying around everywhere, and nobody on the boat is killed(Homer). “O’Brother, Where Art Thou?” removes the ocean setting, Odysseus heroism, and the men having wax in their ears. Within the stanzas of the poem “Siren Song”, the story lacks the men and Odysseus, the heroism of Odysseus, and the men “fall for it everytime” (Atwood). Authors of these stories removed these things so that their more appealing to the eye.
One can tell Odysseus’ need for Nostos when Circe gives him directions when passing the island of the Sirens. “She says, whoever draws too close [to the island], off guard, and catches the Sirens’ voices in the air – no sailing home for him, no wife rising to meet him, no happy children beaming up at their father’s face” (Book 12). If Odysseus did not care about what he has back home, he probably would have fell to the voices of the Sirens. However, when Odysseus approaches the island of the Sirens, he is bound to the ship to hear the songs of the Sirens, in which no one has ever lived past.
Before Odysseus and his men passed the sirens he told all his men to stuff their ears with wax so only he can hear the sirens “ Therefore pass these Sirens by, and stop your men's ears with wax that none of them may hear”(55). This shows why Odysseus is a bad leader because he knew they were going to pass the sirens and only wanted himself to experience
In The Odyssey, Homer uses Odysseus’ point of view to describe the way the Sirens sing. According to Odysseus, the Sirens “burst into their high, thrilling song.” Odysseus portrays the Sirens as horrible, undesirable singers which reveals to the readers that Odysseus and his men do not appreciate the usage of their singing. Curious Odysseus decides to listen to their song anyways. Despite their appearance, the Sirens manages to lure Odysseus under their spell so that “the heart inside [him] throbbed to listen longer.”
“The Odyssey” Essay In Homer's “The Odyssey”, Book 12 the Sirens are tempting and dangerous creatures. They use songs and their beautiful voices to lore the victims. They use men's lust and ignorance to get what they desire. In Book 12, Odysseus and his men are sailing, then they cross the Sirens.
In the “Odyssey”, Homer introduces the expedition Odysseus goes through to return to his native land. At one point he and his comrades must take the path that leads them to the island of the Sirens. The notorious sirens sing their sickeningly sweet tune to entice men to their eradication. Poet Atwood depicts the sirens in a calamitous facet. Both Homer and Atwood convey the idea that the Sirens pose a detrimental role through the application of imagery and diction.
In both songs, similar techniques are used to lure the man in when compared to The Odyssey as the Sirens use their songs, a useful attribute, to draw the man nearer to their island. Moreover, knowledge of the mythological Sirens allows the reader to understand that those who cross paths with them become eaten by the creatures. In a similar manner to the Sirens, the men’s lives (in the songs) are ruined due to the fact that the females tricked them. In “Sirens Song,” the author wrote, “He turned to the other cheek / As he turned to leave”, suggesting that the man and his wife are splitting up (Miss May I). Throughout the song, it also becomes clear that the man cheated on his wife by becoming attracted to another woman.
In Homer's epic poem,The Odyssey, women are a major part of the story. In ancient times, women were very limited to their rights. They were expected to stay at home all day every day. When men would cheat on their wives it was fine, but when woman cheated they were shamed. When their husbands would leave, they would have to feel lonely while the Husband could go off and cheat.
Given the leader he is, when Odysseus and his men encountered the sirens, his men were quick to follow his instructions with diligence. Homer writes, “Sirens weakening a haunting song over the sea we are to shun”(690-691). The sirens sing a songs to lure sailors to their death. Homer writes, “I alone should listen to their song”(693-694). Odysseus knowing what the sirens purpose and having prior knowledge of the things the sirens would say to him.
The Odyssey and the poem "Siren Song" both portray sirens ;however, in The Odyssey, the focus is on resolving the "problem" of the sirens, no differently than any other obstacle on his journey, whereas "Siren Song" focuses on the siren as more than merely an obstacle. They share, however, the preying of the siren upon hubris and the desire to be special, as well as, by what happens, illustrating the allure of the sirens in the spite of the pain that may be suffered to get there. The Odyssey initially describes the actions of Odysseus much more than the sirens. The beginning discussion does describe the sirens at all;it merely states that they were approaching the island of the sirens, and then for the first ten lines it does not even begin to consider the sirens.
The Odyssey, but in fact, Odysseus is a soldier who displays evident symptoms, including depression, excessive anger, and paranoia, of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or a “psychological injury,” as psychologist Jonathan Shay refers it. Throughout Odysseus’s story, Odysseus shows signs of suicidal thoughts, a symptom of those who suffer from depression as a result of a psychological illness. In book 12, Odysseus and his crew attempt to move past the sirens, with the help of Circe.
The Sirens in the Odyssey are a grave danger to Odysseus and his men. They use their songs to tempt men by appealing to what they love and desire. The Sirens bring out lustful feelings in the men that cross them. In Book 12 of Homer's, The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men encounter the Sirens. In Book 12 the Sirens represent temptation and desire.
In Waterhouse’s painting, it shows a number of sirens all facing towards Odysseus, who is tied up against a mast, in a position of attack. This could seem threatening because the sirens surround Odysseus so that he may not escape from them. The color of the sirens body is a dark color, which could symbolize how they are dangerous and powerful they are. The painting also shows all the sirens facing Odysseus with a look of anger because he is not falling into their trap as the others have done. Odysseus’ men blends with the boat so the focus is mainly the sirens and Odysseus, which is threatening because it seems as if he is alone with more than two sirens.
They recognize the power they have over men, but also their weakness in that they need one to save them. This appeals to Odysseus’ ego and he risks death to show off his strength. In Atwood’s poem, Odysseus is not seen as strong because he restrains himself against temptation; he is seen as weak because he fails to save the Sirens. John William Waterhouse also recognizes the powerful temptation of the Siren song, but he sees the Sirens as manipulative and evil, and paints them to look that way. The only strength he shows in them is in their menacing appearance and the force of the temptation they are putting on the men in the ship.
Odysseus has the chance to hear the sirens,