The Temptation Of Sirens In Homer's Odyssey

In The Odyssey, Sirens symbolize the personal temptation that Odysseus has to face; they attempt to seduce him by mimicking the same promise of understanding that home has to offer but without the labor required of the journey. Initially, they are introduced as merely being the transfixing, alluring seductresses that they are most known for. But through analyzation of the text and further reading, it is worthy of mentioning that there is more to Sirens then we make out to be. Sirens seduce men through their spellbinding songs and their psychological manipulation tactics. As Odysseus prepares to leave Circe’s island, she warns him about the monsters he will face on his journey home. She says that Odysseus will “first raise the island of the Sirens, those creatures who spellbind any man alive” (272:44), and claims further that any man who listens to the Siren’s call will have “no sailing home for him, no wife rising to meet him, no happy children beaming up at

A snapshot of what the island looks like is depicted when Odysseus reiterates Circe’s forewarnings to his crew: ““First, she warns, we must steer clear of the sirens, their enchanting song, their meadow starred with flowers” (276:172). They live in a “meadow starred with flowers.” It makes sense that the Sirens would want to make the appearance of their island aesthetically pleasing, because they want to seduce men in all aspects in order to draw them in. So not only will the men want to be in the presence of the Sirens because of their offerings of knowledge and wisdom, but the island itself won’t seem too bad either because of its colorful meadows and supposedly luscious foliage. For the sake of charming the mentally-challenged men, the Sirens make sure to keep their island’s appearance just as appealing and seductive as their own