Siren Song Margaret Atwood

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Margaret Atwood’s ten stanza poem “Siren Song” originates from Greek Mythology. The opening of the poem begins with the speaker describing the “song” that makes men beserk and apparently has them “leap overboard in squadrons”(Atwood 4) . Not a soul has heard the song and if they have, they are deceased. The speaker summons us to grasp the secret everyone is dying to know, literally. There's a catch, to the learn the secret you must exchange to help her get out of the “bird suit”(Atwood 12) . She explains more into detail how it is like being a siren. Interestingly, she finds the whole thing to be tedious and tiresome. The siren makes you feel wanted, and unique. That is her main goal, to attract you and make her think that you can be the person …show more content…
This epic poem is still read today and “ Siren Song “ and is greatly highlighted because of its gender disparity. Margaret Atwood responds to Homer’s perspective and rephrases it. As Atwood writes the poem from the Sirens point of view it it changes the demeanor of homer's fable. It is not attempt to backlash his story but another way to remove the fabricated degrade of gender inequality. Homers tone is the opposite of Atwood's, the men in the poem are weak while in Homers he describes them as “strong and unflinched”. As the readers we imagine men in a good standing position with transparent armor around their body because nothing phases them. By writing this, Homer feels that men have dominance and it is not in the women's role to control the way a man leads his life, or changes their desires. The song in Atwood's is “irresistible”(Atwood 3) and look “picturesque”(Atwood 15). In homer's epic the men belittle them by calling them names that prove they do not share or intend to have value in women. Atwoods tone is sophisticated, and shows that she has power much more higher than Homer. I don't enjoy it here / squatting on this island / looking picturesque and mythical / (Atwood 13,14,15) here women are seen as trophies, this is how women are inferior to men. Triumphantly, Atwood did a phenomenal job bringing pathos in this free verse poem by being mournful for
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