Siren Song By Margarett Atwood

In the first stanza, Margaret Atwood mentions “the one song everyone would like to learn” (lines 1-2). Its significance is the way the poet applies “learn” and not “listen to” or “hear” which implies that there is something to be learned.

In the mythological story of the Sirens, sailors leap to their deaths as they hear the infamous song. The second stanza highlights the idea that this poem encrypts a message about males. The third line, “even though they see the beached skulls” basically has two meanings. It is used to show how modern men neglect women’s past lovers and believe they can

The last stanza concludes the Siren song and reveals that the whole poem was a hoax. With the phrase “it works every time” (line 27) the secret is revealed. As the Sirens say “it’s a boring song” (line 26), it is implied that the simplicity of a song would only fool a man. In modern times, Atwood is trying to say in her hidden opinion that men are fooled too often by physical attraction, while they should pay more attention to the internal characteristics. The poem is a statement of a contemporary woman and it shows how men react through the eyes of a female.

The third last stanza is the main turning point. The pace slows down significantly making it a hint that alerts the reader of the importance of the last couple stanzas. The way Atwood uses “you” in the last stanza makes the reader feel as if the siren is begging for help. Mainly, this is ironic in that the person who is listening to the Siren is the one who needs aided. The whole verse is tempting to a man because it shows that the Sirens are faking vulnerability to play on the vanity of men.

change things, even though their predecessors have failed before them. This mindset of males becomes vital in the later parts of the poem. “The

Some topics in this essay:
Margaret Atwood, Siren Song, margaret atwood, “the song, third stanza, siren song, can’t remember”, “bird suit”,