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Homer’s Odyssey, a Greek epic poem, introduces mythological creatures, like the sirens, to an audience that becomes highly influenced and mesmerized by these creatures that it inspired new piece of literature. For example, Margaret Atwood dedicates a whole poem to the sirens, which is the first mentioned in The Odyssey as creatures that lures sailors to their death, but ,unlike the Odyssey, it is written in the point of view of the sirens. Even though the depiction of the sirens are distinct and told in different point of view, both pieces of writing, Homer’s Odyssey and Atwood’s “ Siren Song”, have similar elements of cleverness. Homer describes Odysseus as wise, which is a characteristic needs to help the crew escape disasters and deaths.
The Sirens try to lure him to his death by singing a tempting song, which contains immortal knowledge as well as Odysseus’ triumphs in Troy in order
The Odyssey written by Homer and the Siren Song, by Margaret Atwood both use imagery, symbolism, different tones and different point of view to depict Sirens. The Odyssey surrounds a man who hears the Sirens song, but uses different tactics to survive it, although the Siren Song is written as if the written is a siren trying to prey on the readers. The difference of narrators tells the story of the Sirens in two very different
Odysseus did this and luckily none of his men heard the song. Circe revealed, “There is a great heap of dead men's bones lying all around, with the flesh still rotting off them”(Homer 12). Odysseus could have avoided the sirens completely and not put himself or his men at any risk. He should have communicated with his crew, while using his better-judgment to move past his need to hear the song. Odysseus is a leader, this means that he should be selfless when it comes to protecting his crew, however he doesn’t exhibit this skill at any point in The Odyssey.
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.
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.
Instead, the text talks about the actions of Odysseus who "sliced an ample wheel of beeswax [...] and I stopped the ears of my comrades one by one". Indeed, the only understanding of the sirens comes from their speech; this perspective originates from the Odyssey's point of view. Unlike "Siren Song," The Odyssey's focuses on the person who opposes the sirens, Odysseus, more than the sirens themselves. This leads to the Sirens lacking any special quality that would make them any different than any obstacle there is noting personal about them. This is in contrast "Siren Song," which focuses almost exclusively on the siren.
The Sirens fight against the man’s will to resist the Sirens magical song. They fought against Odysseus’s idea of using ear wax so his men were unable to hear the Sirens magical song. The Sirens were unable to overcome the challenge that Odysseus 's men provided, so Odysseus and his men managed to escape. The Sirens also do certain things to draw in men. The Sirens will sit
However, by the end, the speaker is also dead because of the siren’s song. The original myth about the sirens was mentioned in the story Odysseus. The sirens are considered enemies that would drive Odysseus’ crew to death if they listened. Odysseus was determined to hear their song though so he instructed his men to tie him firmly to the mast of the ship while everyone else had plugged
Margaret Atwood’s “Siren Song” Interpretation In the Greek mythology and in Homer’s Odyssey, the Sirens are featured as a trio of monsters who are known to drown sailors with their song. The sailors, lured by the Siren’s beautiful singing, jump off their ship and eventually drown, drift to shore, and then get consumed by the monsters. Margaret Atwood’s “Siren Song” talks from the perspective of one of the sirens - which one, we do not know - and develops the character and personality of the Siren, giving a commentary about masculinity and heroism as well.
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.
Odysseus, being an adventurer, wants to explore the great unknown. The siren song is a rare sound to people's ears, without them going away. So being Odysseus, he went, according to the text Odysseus states about the sirens, “The lovely voices in ador appealing over the water made me crave to listen, and I tried to say ‘untie me' to the crew, jerking my brows; but they bet
Margaret Atwood takes a swan dive into mythology with this modern take on Ancient Greek myth, depicting the deadly yet alluring song of the Siren. Traditionally, Siren's are dangerous, mesmerising, birdlike monsters of the sea that take pleasure in luring unsuspecting sailors to their watery graves through song. Atwood begins the poem by portraying insatiable temptation with sensual intrigue through the eyes of an enchantress sat upon a throne of human bones. However the tone takes a three hundred and sixty degree turn and becomes almost self deprecating, bored and suspiciously human. Her casual and informal voice is familiar in its modern depiction of Odysseus and his crew.
The Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs claim that PTSD is a growing epidemic, with roughly 5.2 sufferers of the illness in the U.S. today. Homer’s The Odyssey illustrates the story of Odysseus after the Trojan war and his journey back home to Ithaca. During his expedition, Odysseus faces many physically and emotionally challenging situations that affect him psychologically in the future. Many scholars recognize Odysseus as a brave warrior in Homer’s
The theme of disobedience is very prominent in this episode. The poor choices Odysseus makes as well as his foolish men. In other episodes in the Odyessy like Scylla and Charybdis, The Lotus Eaters, and most episodes’ disobedience was also a problem. In the Sirens and Cyclops episode Odysseus’ men where more obedient when they were in threating situation. If this episode was never told in the book of the Odyssey, the readers would be missing out on how important it is to be obedient and trusting your own instincts.
