Siren Song

1. Who or what does the siren stand for? In ancient Greek mythology, the sirens were non-human, and stranger creatures, dwelt on dangerous rocks and sang irresistible songs that lured unsuspecting sailors to their death by shipwreck. They appealed to be helpless beautiful women in need of rescuing. This would appeal to the sailors’ heroic inclination and play their sense of loneliness. Because of sailors’ lapse in judgment, they will lose their lives. In the modern …

…opens the poem asking for help, the sailor will probably reason: “ I don’t even know you. Why should I help you?” Also, if the poem opens with the description of the “men jump[ing] overboard squadrons” (line 6) and “beached skulls” (line 5), the sailor will likely shut off his mind to the siren’s messages. As it is, the sailor is drawn forward, with a sense of adventure, keenly anticipating the revealing of a secret.