serene_arunia
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- Mar 11, 2008
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The irony in Atwood's Poems.
Poems often introduce distances between what happens or is said to happen and what the reader expects to perceive , causing one to feel the tension between the two conflicting ideas. This is known as irony, poets such as Margaret Atwood express this idea in the poems, “Siren Song†and “You Fit Into Meâ€.
“Siren songâ€, is about temptation and ignorance. “The song that forces men leap overboard in squadrons even though they see breached skulls.†(14-16) The men blindly charge forward to the seductive lure of the sirens voice. Atwood use references from Homer's epic tale, “Odysseyâ€. His men tied Odysseus to the ship's mast so he could hear the enchanting tunes but wouldn't be able to swim ashore.
“The song nobody knows because anyone who heard it is either dead, and others cannot remember.†(7-9). This particular part of the poem suggests the “irresistible song†is a destructive one. To those who have heard the lullaby it results in either death or being mentally destroyed to the point of memory loss.
Unlike the first three stanza's the reader learns that the speaker is a modern day siren trying to tempt a sailor into her deadly game. “Shall I tell you the secret and if I do will you get me out of this bird suit?†(10-12). Sirens were casted on an island for only being half human, the other being a bird. (monster).
In the fifth stanza, the narrator begins to reveal her hatred towards her current life style. “I don't enjoy it there squatting on this island looking picturesque and mythical with these two feathery maniacs.†(13-16). She tries to justify her actions toward drawing men to the island by explaining that she finds it's “valuable†to be physically attractive and able to hook sailors even though her beauty carries a “fatal†nature that can anguish men (18).
The master of deceit makes the sailor feel a bit of self importance, to get what she wants the siren plays the role of a damsel in distress. “This song is a cry for help: Help me! Only you, only you can, you are uniqueâ€. (21-24). She realizes to further persuade her victim is to boost his ego, a valiant brave soul would never turn down a woman in need.
Ironically at the end the sailor caves in and the siren outwits him. “at. Alas it is a boring song but it works every time.†(25-27). She is aware of her boring life but men will always fall to the sweet voice of a siren, men will help a woman in need, regardless of the circumstances.
Poems often introduce distances between what happens or is said to happen and what the reader expects to perceive , causing one to feel the tension between the two conflicting ideas. This is known as irony, poets such as Margaret Atwood express this idea in the poems, “Siren Song†and “You Fit Into Meâ€.
“Siren songâ€, is about temptation and ignorance. “The song that forces men leap overboard in squadrons even though they see breached skulls.†(14-16) The men blindly charge forward to the seductive lure of the sirens voice. Atwood use references from Homer's epic tale, “Odysseyâ€. His men tied Odysseus to the ship's mast so he could hear the enchanting tunes but wouldn't be able to swim ashore.
“The song nobody knows because anyone who heard it is either dead, and others cannot remember.†(7-9). This particular part of the poem suggests the “irresistible song†is a destructive one. To those who have heard the lullaby it results in either death or being mentally destroyed to the point of memory loss.
Unlike the first three stanza's the reader learns that the speaker is a modern day siren trying to tempt a sailor into her deadly game. “Shall I tell you the secret and if I do will you get me out of this bird suit?†(10-12). Sirens were casted on an island for only being half human, the other being a bird. (monster).
In the fifth stanza, the narrator begins to reveal her hatred towards her current life style. “I don't enjoy it there squatting on this island looking picturesque and mythical with these two feathery maniacs.†(13-16). She tries to justify her actions toward drawing men to the island by explaining that she finds it's “valuable†to be physically attractive and able to hook sailors even though her beauty carries a “fatal†nature that can anguish men (18).
The master of deceit makes the sailor feel a bit of self importance, to get what she wants the siren plays the role of a damsel in distress. “This song is a cry for help: Help me! Only you, only you can, you are uniqueâ€. (21-24). She realizes to further persuade her victim is to boost his ego, a valiant brave soul would never turn down a woman in need.
Ironically at the end the sailor caves in and the siren outwits him. “at. Alas it is a boring song but it works every time.†(25-27). She is aware of her boring life but men will always fall to the sweet voice of a siren, men will help a woman in need, regardless of the circumstances.