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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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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

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Odysseus always wanted to be the man who did what no man could do. This is very apparent in “The Odyssey” and “Siren Song”, two different works by two different authors in two different formats all about the same story. Odysseus deliberately faced the Siren’s death trap so that he could feel like a better man than any other. The Odyssey and Siren Song have very contrasting perspectives on the sirens intentions.

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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

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There are sundry items emphasized in these three texts. Not only is the song and spell highlighted in “The Odyssey”, but also the challenge Odysseus and his crew had to face(Homer). “O Brother Where Art Thou?” discusses the women who sing the Siren song, the spell, and the disappearance of the men. The poem accentuates the Siren song (Atwood). Odysseus wanted to surrender to the captivating song of the Sirens, but the ropes hindered him.

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Moreover, in “Song to the Siren,” the Siren’s, “singing eyes and fingers,” drew the human male lovingly to her isle (Buckley). Once again the Siren seduces the man by her looks and voice to proceed to her island. This femme fatale not only has a way of causing men to fall for her charm, yet she can also manipulate them into following her exact orders, not matter the cost. With a mesmerizing ability to manipulate and have an impacting influence on unadulterated men who follow the command of the creatures’ enticing nature, the Sirens effortlessly turn a passing stranger into a mindless vessel who is unfortunately reaching the verge of their impending doom. In “Sirens Song,” the power of the Siren’s manipulation is explained as statement of, “Oh what a Siren can do to a man with open ears,” which implies that the song sung by the Siren casts a spell of control over the listener (Miss May I).

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The poem “Sirens Song” alludes to the Sirens of the Odyssey. The Sirens’ portrayal is to deceive as they scheme and seduce men in their direction. The author claims, “The song that forces men to leap overboard in squadrons even though they see beached skulls.” In other words,

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“The Odyssey,” written by Greek poet Homer is an epic tale depicting the brutally enduring quest home of the Greek hero, Odysseus. Within this heroic story, women play a very large and pivotal role in Odysseus’s trip home from the Trojan War. In his attempt to get back to his wife, Penelope, Odysseus’s progress is constantly hindered by the intervention of women who will do anything in order to either convince the heroic figure to stay with them or have him killed. The intentions of the women in the epic are all very different but one of the most prominent roles lies in the seductresses and the alluring women who will deeply influence Odysseus. Most importantly, Penelope plays a large role in portraying the importance of women’s roles in the story.

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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.

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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.

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In spite of the fact that Homer’s Odyssey is an epic story of a man’s gallant journey, women play a huge part throughout. Their unique yet controversial personalities, intentions, and relationships are vital to the development of this epic and adventurous journey of Odysseus. The poem by Homer was written at a time when women had an inferior position in society, yet that didn’t stop them from being any less influential. All of the women throughout the Odyssey possess different qualities, but all of them help to define the role of the ideal woman.

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In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, there are many female characters who play the role of a villain. Calypso, Scylla, Charybdis, and the sirens are among the women with the largest, negative impacts on Odysseus’ journey home. Though some women, such as Athena, Eurycleia, and Penelope, are loyal to Odysseus throughout the poem. With such a wide range of female characters, they all contribute different things throughout the book, whether the impact of their actions is negative or positive. Regardless of the outcomes, Homer has quite a modern view of female representation in his poem.

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Countless of these tearful songs have been written, describing the image of the woman behind a hero’s victory. In The “Odyssey”, Homer transforms the audience’s perspective about women significantly. All of them, whether beautiful woman or powerful goddesses, are occupied by sorrows. Especially, Penelope and Calypso--the two most influential women in both appearance and the complicated relationship with the guile hero. Although they have very different personalities and backgrounds--one is the queen of Ithaca, and the other is a magnificent goddess.

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