Siren Song Commentary

In the poem "Siren Song," Margaret Atwood uses a helpless tone to develop the theme of deception. She describes the men as being egotistical and the women as deceitful and crafty in using these two elements to lure men to their death.
Atwood uses repetition throughout the poem. In the third stanza, Atwood repeats "I" which makes it seem as if the speaker is victimizing herself to get sympathy. This repetition puts emphasis on the fact that the siren focuses on herself, seeming helpless and also drawing attention away from the sailor's ego. Atwood enforces this through the repetition of "you" in the last few lines. This repetition emphasizes the fact that the siren is clearly addressing and acknowledging the listener. Atwood also uses phrases such as "a cry for help" and "squatting on this island" which contribute to the helpless tone and cause the listener to sympathize with the siren and try to help. She uses masculine, war-related words such as "forces" and "squadrons" to cause the listener to become more egotistical.
Atwood's tone changes from helpless to bored in the last stanza. This is seen in the phrase, "Alas it is a boring song but it works every time." This indicates that the siren knows that she is in control and that she is bored that the song works every time to bring a man to despair and death. Atwood also repeats in the beginning of the poem that this is a "song," yet the siren merely speaks these words; possibly tricking the man into thinking that he is not listening to the deceitful song at the moment. 

Atwood's use of repetiton, diction, and tone contribute to the deception the sirens are able to create and the power they have over men. She uses this fact to criticize egotistical men and their view of women.

Midterm Break Plog

In the poem "Midterm Break," Seamus Heaney uses an almost indifferent tone in an attempt to create a comforting mood. He develops this tone through diction and the speaker reveals his true feelings through the use of euphemisms and ambiguity.
The poem begins with the auditory imagery of bells tolling and could be seen as either funeral bells or as a sign as the end of classes. Next, there is visual imagery such as the father crying, showing his sorrow physically. The speaker also describes the corpse of the little boy in detail. He examines that there is a "poppy bruise on his left temple" and notes that the boy was "paler now." These two lines indicate that the speaker was thoroughly examining the body, found no "gaudy scars," only a bruise and also notes that the body was paler than the last time the speaker saw him. At this point, the speaker indicates that it has been a while since he has seen this boy but the speaker remembers how the boy looked before. The speaker goes on to call the coffin a "four-foot box," effectively creating a euphemism which indicates that he is trying to comfort either himself or those around him. Throughout the poem, the speaker shows little emotion. He says his father is crying, not the speaker. The speaker felt embarrassed to shake the hands of the people trying to comfort him. Also, the speaker holds his mother's hand while she "coughed out angry tearless sighs." It seems as if he is trying to comfort her by not showing emotion because it is apparent that she is trying to hold back her emotions.
Heaney develops a sense of alienation throughout the poem. It starts with the speaker getting picked up with neighbors, not his own parents. The speaker seems to feel uncomfortable and embarrassed around the guests and "strangers" at his house. Heaney uses the word "strangers" to emphasize the alienation. The speaker also mentions that it has been six weeks since he's seen his brother.
Heaney also introduces a contrasting element in the poem which can contribute to the confusion the speaker may be feeling. In the third stanza, Heaney begins with the description of a baby cooing and ends the stanza with the words "old men." The baby is youthful and is still full of life whereas the old men are nearer to death than the baby. The speaker brings this point up again in the last stanza. Heaney repeats the fact that the coffin was four feet long, emphasizing the youth of the boy and contrasting it with the reality that he is dead. Heaney also reiterates the fact that the boy was young by using only one line instead of a stanza to show the finality and shortness of life for the young boy.
Although Heaney makes it seem as if the speaker is indifferent, there are clear signs that the speaker actually cares very deeply about the boy that died. The apathy and themes of alienation contribute to the possibility that the speaker did not know how to act properly in that sort of situation.

The Punishment Poetry Blog

In the poem "Punishment," Seamus Heaney uses diction to show the chaos and disorder the speaker experiences as he examines the punishment done to the girl. 

Heaney introduces a lot of contrast in the poem. For example, in the last stanza, he pairs the words "intimate" and "revenge." Along with the words "civilized" and "outrage." Intimate and civilized have positive connotations whereas revenge and outrage are negative. These oxymorons are both in the last stanza, giving a lasting impression of insanity. The speaker's insanity is developed throughout the poem. It is most evident in his descriptions of the corpse. He spends more than half the poem describing the state the corpse is in and recalling what the corpse looked like when it was still human. The speaker obsesses over the corpse and, more specifically, the punishment inflicted upon the corpse. He describes the more gruesome details about the corpse and even mentions that if he were to "cast...the stones of silence," he would have. 

Heaney uses short, interrupted sentences in the beginning of this poem. This shows that the speaker is either distressed or eager to describe the corpse. He also jumps from thought to thought, further emphasizing the insanity of the speaker.  He constantly contrasts himself; the speaker "almost [loves] the girl" but he would be able to punish her if given the chance. He also enjoys seeing the corpse's insides as they are revealed. The speaker introduces a lustful tone as he uses the word "voyeur" which establishes a relationship between the girl and the speaker. 

The literary techniques such as oxymorons, diction, and the contrast contribute to the overall disorder of the poem which contributes to the speaker's disillusioned state of mind.