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.
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2 comments:
Kristin, the personable diction of the poem really does enhance the effect of allure to the siren's words. I imagine when the siren says "only you, only you" in the poem it also serves to pump the ego of her supposed rescuer. I believe it not only comments on the view of women as helpless by chauvinists, but the fact that women can have a power unseen by the men.Good commentary.
I agree that the use of "you" in the poem was to show how the sirens were using the egotistical nature of men in order to lure them into killing themselves simply because they believed the sirens when they told them that they were the only ones who could save them. I also agree that the bored or apathetic tone of the end of the poem was to show that the sirens or the women were trying to point out how sad it was that men kept falling for the same tricks over and over again since they were so egotistical. Overall, a really good commentary Kristin.
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