Temptations In The Odyssey 'And Siren Song'

Temptation can be a dangerous thing. Caving to the temptations the world presents stirs up trouble, as told again and again in literary works, such as the story of Pandora’s box and the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. The allure of temptations is often stronger than the allure of logic or personal values, but it can be overcome and the pursuit of good can prevail. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is bound to the mast of his ship and listens to the sirens’ songs. In the poem “Siren Song” by Margaret Atwood, the narrator is a siren that uses a routine tactic to lure in a man. In the song “The Cave” by Mumford and Sons, the narrator keeps their greater purpose in mind while listening to the calling of the sirens. In the painting “Ulysses

“Ulysses and Sirens by Waterhouse” shows Ulysses bound to the mast of his ship, leaning as far from the pole as he can while restrained. He appears to be very attentive to the sirens, intrigued by their beauty and wanting to get closer. Ulysses is tempted by the sirens, seeming to not notice the hostility of their gestures as they swarm the ship. The song “The Cave” contains these lyrics: “So tie me to a post and block my ears / I can see widows and orphans through my tears / I know my call despite my faults / And despite my growing fears”. The narrator of the song, who takes the place of Ulysses, takes a different approach to dealing with the temptation of the sirens. The narrator makes it so they cannot hear the luring voice of the sirens, appears extremely distressed instead of interested, and acknowledges that they are not a perfect person while keeping who they are at the forefront of their mind during the time of temptation. It is clear that the characters in both works are tested by the sirens, but they respond differently to

In the passage of The Odyssey, Odysseus quotes Circe while at Alcinous’s Court, telling what she said to do and what he ultimately did, in this excerpt: “But if you wish to listen / let the men tie you in the lugger, hand / and foot, back to the mast, lashed to the mast, / so you may hear those Harpies thrilling voices;” (Homer 12.672-675). Odysseus was tempted by the idea of listening to the siren’s song, and caved into it. He knew that the sirens were dangerous creatures responsible for the deaths of countless men like himself, but subjected himself to their cries anyways. In the poem “Siren Song” by Margaret Atwood, there is this quote: “I will tell the secret to you, / only you, only to you. / Come closer. This song / is a cry for help: Help me! / Only you, only you can, you are unique”. The narrator of the poem, who is a siren, uses the same tactic every time to lure her victims. She tempts the sailors by realizing their desire for knowledge, to feel special, and to be helpful and then exploits those desires. The allure of sirens is lethal, and it’s that lethal nature that makes it so