Group+4

Group 4

In the poem "Siren Song," Margaret Atwood's tone is condescending and seductive. Atwood conveys this with her use of diction, which is apparent throughout the poem.

Atwood’s “Siren Song” can be read as a condescending response to Homer’s depiction of the Sirens in //The Odyssey//. Her use of diction shows that she looks down upon the Sirens, who use seduction to lure passing sailors to their deaths. Atwood seems to be displeased with the actions of the Sirens, who tell the men to “come closer” (l. 21), despite the fact that they see “beached skulls” (l. 6). Atwood describes the Sirens, who are half-human, half-bird, as stuck in a “bird suit” (l. 12), and calls them “feathery maniacs” (l. 16). This choice of language shows that Atwood does not agree with Homer’s negative view of women as seductresses.

====Despite Atwood's condescending attitude, her tone is also seductive. The poem is told from the perspective of one of the Sirens, so Atwood, speaks directly to the audience, as if she were seducing them. For example, Atwood describes the Siren's song as "irresistible," as "it works every time" (l. 3, 27). Atwood begs, “come closer” as “only you, only you can” help her, since “you are unique” (l. 21, 23-24). Furthermore, Atwood describes the Siren as “picturesque and mythical” (l. 15). Atwood’s diction is flirtatious, which correlates to the fact that the Sirens were alluring and irresistible to the sailors. ====