"Siren Song" Explication

 “Siren Song” by Margaret Atwood shows the continuous process of Sirens seducing male victims into death. The poem makes several allusions to Sirens, which were creatures in Greek mythology that lured sailors into shipwreck. The song is “irresistible” (3), as no man can resist jumping off the boat towards the Sirens, “even though they see the beached skulls” (6). No one can evade the seductive power of the Siren’s song, and no one knows it because “anyone who has heard it is dead” (9). The Siren then asks the reader to “get me out of this bird suit” (10-11). Sirens were affiliated with birds due to their sweet voices. The Siren expresses her discontent with her situation. She tells the reader that she hates “squatting on this island, all picturesque and mythical” (14-15). The diction here relates to actions of birds, which further illustrates the bird-like nature of the Sirens. The narrator refers to the other Sirens as “maniacs” (16) and thinks their song is “fatal and valuable”. These words are contrasting, since it means the song is both deadly and useful. The Siren uses the song to attract men, yet these men ultimately die. The Siren implies that she is lonely and looking for a companion. The Siren teases the reader, saying she will “only tell the secret to you, to you, only to you. Come closer” (19-21). The Siren entices the reader to come closer, which is either a trap or a real attempt at companionship. The Siren claims that the song is “a cry for help” and the reader tells the reader that she wants someone to save her. At the end of the poem, the Siren admits that it “is a boring song, but it works every time” (26-27). This reveals that the Siren was merely tricking the reader into falling for her trap. Although she is tired of the routine, she continues to use the song as means of luring her victims. She wishes that men didn’t always focus on her artificial beauty and the sound of her voice. Instead, the Siren wishes that men focused on the personalities of women.