Sirens Margaret Atwood Analysis

The “ravishing” yet “fatal” cries of the ever mysterious Sirens are described by Margaret Atwood and Homer in strikingly conflicting ways. Homer’s description of the Sirens portrays them as mystical, yet fatal creatures, while Atwood insightfully depicts the same Sirens as bored yet deceitful human-like seductresses. Homer and Atwood make use of intense tones, powerful points of view, and bold diction to show the contrast in the two portrayals. With great intensity in their tones, Homer and Atwood make the stark contrast betwixt their portrayals of the Sirens evident, leaving few similarities afoot. For example, Homer sets a tone of urgency as Odysseus’ crew “rac[es] past” the Sirens and then proceeded, “fl[inging] themselves at the oars …show more content…
For example, Atwood chose to write “Siren Song” from a Siren’s point of view. This insight aids Atwood in portraying the Sirens as bored victims of circumstance, yet simultaneously devious. Direct insight into the Siren’s minds allows for readers to see the boredom with which the Sirens sing their monotonous song. As the Sirens repeat that they “don’t enjoy it [on the island]” nor do they enjoy singing, they display sheer boredom, going as far as to describe their own song as “a boring song” (lines 13, 17, 26). Likewise, as the Siren “[cries] for help” getting off the island and away from “[those] two feathery maniacs” that are her fellow Sirens she portrays herself as a miserable victim of unfortunate circumstance. Contrastingly, Homer wrote from the point of view of the great epic hero, Odysseus, whose outside point of view portrays the Sirens as similarly devious and powerful seductresses. Homer’s version of the Siren’s song fails to show their lack of contentment with their circumstances that Atwood’s portrayal depicts. Though both works are written in the first person, their opposite points of view allow for varying