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Final Essay/Creative Project!!!

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The Musical Tale of the Siren

Sirens and their connection to the sonic are crucial to understanding Mermaid history. Sirens, as a symbol of sound and music, illuminate their role as sonic storytellers. This connection is emphasized through a playlist that was cultivated over the course of the semester, The Penguin Book of Mermaids by Christina Bacchilega and Marie Alohalani Brown, and claims from Meri Franco-Lao’s Sirens: Symbols of Seduction. In exploring early concepts of Mermaids as Sirens, these references accentuate Sirens as voices that embody survival and memory through both literature and sound. Each song within this playlist furthers the notion of Sirens and their historical connection to the sonic through music and sound.

From early literature, Sirens have been portrayed as accompanied by musical instruments and hypnotic voices. The Penguin Book of Mermaids mentions that “reductive definitions of mythological Sirens as real-life ‘harlots outstanding in both instrumental music and sweetness of voice’ who ‘reduced passers-by to beggary’ already circulated in Greek and Roman antiquity” (Bacchilega and Brown xii-xiii). This furthers the idea that Sirens have almost always had some form of relationship to the sonic. Sirens connect to sound on both a literary and an instrumental level, intertwining them with their own history as an alternative form of storytelling. The idea of Sirens as sonic storytellers is presented by “a phrase from Clement of Alexandria,” as Franco-Lao states, “Those who were as if dead and did not partake of the true life were revived by the sound of their song” (Franco-Lao 54). This revival illustrates the importance of storytelling, for instance, historical remembrance. The voices and music of the Sirens revive the stories and the lives of those forgotten throughout history. 

The song of the Sirens is more than just a hypnotic sound; it’s also “Music of movement and music to form movement, according to the Platonic concept”(Franco-Lao 43). This musical movement emphasises the idea that a Siren’s voice carries meaning and importance. Historically speaking, the music and voice of a Siren tell the parts of history the world might have forgotten or washed away. Their voices shed light on lost stories and memories because it was originally thought that, “Whoever hears this [Siren] sound acquires memory of past and future and of the underlying truths governing them” (Franco-Lao 40). This connection of Sirens and the sonic emphasizes the idea that water tells a story, and Sirens are used as the voice of water and history.

Each song within the playlist I’ve created relates to some form of history through the eyes of a Siren. The connection between the music and the Siren will be either lyrically or musically, depending on the song. Each song portrays something different and unique, following the flow and growth of our understanding of the Mermaids and Sirens over the course of the semester. This playlist will further examine the notion that the music and sounds of a Siren can tell a historical story that contains memories.

The first song is Mermaid Song by ConcernedApe. The eerie music and hypnotic voice grow louder as the song continues, helping us grasp the original concept of Sirens. This song plays a role in our understanding of how the Siren first started; these scary creatures that use their voice to lure men into the sea.

The next song is Elevenses by Lena Raine. The peaceful nature and alluring aspect of this song strongly connect to the true concept of Sirens. The flute in the song can be seen as a simple reference to the original tale of Sirens and how “they acquired human arms to hold their instruments”(Franco-Lao 1). This song adds to the idea that the Siren’s music doesn’t always have to be eerie. 

The following song in this playlist is Falling Stars by A Shell In The Pit. This instrumental song aids in the communal idea of the ocean. Seeing water as a form of history paves the way for those untold stories to see the light of day. This is possible because of the Sirens who play that music for the world to hear.

Echo of the Past by Jonathan Greer is another song that enlightens our understanding of Sirens and the sonic. This is because of its emotional tone and slow music, the kind of sounds that make someone reminisce. The softness of this song reminds us of the memories hidden beneath the depths of the ocean. This is the kind of memory the Sirens tell through similar songs.

Bellhart by Christopher Larkin is a song that aids in the idea that Sirens and water carry emotion. Holding onto history and memories causes emotions, and this song is perfect for reminding us. Each instrument holds an emotion, like water, and the Sirens use it to tell those emotions.

The next song is La petite fille de la mer – Remastered by Vangelis. This song carries a hypnotic yet peaceful tune that highlights the first concepts of the Siren. Vangelis’ song aids in our learning of the story of Melusine and how she “would return during the night, secretly, to protect her children, and even to nurse the youngest”(Franco-Lao 127). It holds an almost nurturing sound that only a Siren could execute.

The Shadow of Love by Stomu Yamash’ta is a song that brings to light the relationship between love and the Siren. Sirens and Mermaids have been known to be creatures of seduction, using their song as entrapment for young sailors. This song brings to light the emotional and loving aspect of the Siren. Where their song “is the music of the cosmos, ordered and harmonic by definition”(Franco-Lao 40). Yamash’ta’s song emphasizes the loving embrace of the Siren and her song of history and knowledge. 

Another song from the playlist that aids in our understanding of the Siren and the sonic is Before the Night by Joël Fajerman. This song feels like a fairytale, which reminds us that the story of the Siren isn’t meant to be just a fairytale or myth. Their music is meant to tell a story, the stories that have lost their voices over time. Fajerman’s song plays an important role in the true nature of the Siren’s song.

 The next song in the playlist is Lure of the Siren by Mo Coulson and Chris Conway. This song is exactly what it sounds like; it plays the sound of the Siren, her faint whispers as she’s meant to lure you to the sea. But this song shows something greater, the peacefulness of the water as the instruments play. It reiterates the importance of hearing the Siren, listening to what she is trying to tell you about the water and its history.

Oceans Breath is another song that aids in our learning of the Siren. This song is meant to remind us of the ocean’s rawness, the birds, and the sounds of the waves. The eerie start of the song, followed by the peaceful quickness of the jazz-like tune, highlights the importance of not looking solely at the surface. Sirens are only ever given surface definition, but the true meaning lies hidden underneath. This song shows the importance of looking further into the things we are being shown throughout history.

The next song is called The Last of Her Kind by Peter Gundry. This song is crucial to understanding the history that Sirens bring. The tune is dramatic yet whimsical and incredibly embodies the concept of Sirens as storytellers. It’s a peaceful start that slowly turns dramatic and reminds us of the painful aspects of the history that Sirens tells. This song shows us how Sirens take every and all memories of the ocean and use their songs to tell those stories.

THE MILK OF THE SIREN by Melanie Martinez is a song from the playlist that is important based on its lyrical content. Martinez states, “Engraved in our memory the harm that was done. Our mothers, the witches, they banished and burned. All of our sisters were killed and abused by sword-swinging men who would always accuse”(Martinez lines 6-8). This song is important to understand because it accentuates how the Sirens use their songs to expose the parts of history that have been brushed under the carpet. It’s crucial to note that Sirens have always been associated with music; their songs carry painful memories that have been forgotten by the majority.

The last song in this playlist is Frozen Drifts by Upright T-Rex Music. This song is completely peaceful throughout and plays a role in finally understanding Sirens. Once we see the Siren song as educational rather than torturous, we can use the knowledge to spread the stories they tell. 

All things considered, it’s important to see Sirens and the sonic as the voices of the ocean. They tell the stories of lost history washed away and forgotten. The Sirens bring light to those memories, and their songs give voices to those who have been silenced. The songs in this playlist emphasize the work Sirens do with their music. Music carries knowledge, and Sirens oceanize them, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the ocean as a living form of history. These songs reveal the true knowledge of the story of the Siren as sonic storytellers. When we listen to the Siren with an open heart and mind, we are shown stories we never knew had been lost. 

Works Cited

Franco-Lao, Meri. Sirens. 1998.

Bacchilega, Cristina, and Marie Alohalani Brown. The Penguin Book of Mermaids. New York, New York, Penguin Books, 2019.

My Playlist:

‌https://open.spotify.com/playlist/36IJC6BkSjvOto8BKkw2ji?si=mGHUVhXHR36UxGtuN-47WA&pi=vqIoc3EYTRq1b

I hope everyone has an amazing break! I will miss our class time together and all of your insightful takes on Mermaids!! My last semester has been one of the best ever, thanks to you all!!

Discovery #1- the Voice of a Mermaid

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 In Monsters, an anthology book compiled by Andrew Hoffman, I found a piece, “Mermaids’ Attributes, Behavior, and Environs,” written by Skye Alexander. In this passage, Alexander highlights the common themes that have been central to merpeople since their ancient beginnings, and why these traits make them so intriguing.

 Alexander offers insights that would definitely enhance our understanding of merpeople and literature in the environment. She explains how certain merpeople traits, that we have learned about from age-old stories, make them more violent and dangerous than we have previously discussed. The narrative around Mermaids, in particular, is heavily based on their “enchanting voices, their sensuality, and their destructive behavior” (Alexander 1). We have spoken extensively in our discussions about these details and the physical traits of mermaids. We have discussed how their destructiveness had reason and rhyme, but at the end of the day, they were written to be lesson-bearing monsters. Although I do believe “monster” to be a somewhat neutral term in this class, as I am not afraid of mermaids or many other methodical creatures, nor do I think they are inherently “bad” or “evil”. Nonetheless, they do fit the part. This text has led me to the conclusion that the voice, song, or sound of mermaids is their truly “monstrous” trait, rather than their physical hybridity. As the only predominantly female monsters in our world, mermaids’ ability to kill with their voices speaks volumes about women and the way in which they are portrayed.   

 The fear associated with mermaids, more often than not, relates to their alluring songs and siren-like voices. Although their shape and animalistic features are mentioned and enchanting for sure, the most deadly aspect they possess is their sound. Unlike other monstrous creators whose large, hairy bodies or sharp teeth make them dangerous, mermaids don’t breathe fire or suck blood; they kill with their songs. Their enticing voices leave sailors, pirates, and all other seamen doomed. “Medolious but melievant temptatress – no man could resist their tantalizing singing” (Alexander 2). In many examples, the true fear of mermaids stems from their communication and the imminent drowning that it would cause. The Greek Sirens were dark and spiteful creatures with wicked intent to kill, possessing the superpower of sound. Although mermaids’ beauty and nudity may have caught the eyes of men, their ears were the weakness that these creatures preyed upon. In general, the deaths that mermaids caused were not necessarily brutal or graphic; instead, they lured men into a space they simply could not survive. They didn’t rip sailors’ hearts out or sink fangs into flesh. When necessary, their violence was channeled through the medium of aggressive waters. They have been credited with controlling the ocean in some way or another. “Many legends link mermaids with storms and even blame them for whipping up tempests at sea in order to sink ships” (Alexander 3). Their tunes or, in some cases, shrieks, like those of the ancient Irish banshees, are their weapon of choice.  

  While mermaids use their voices to take lives, their lack of voice and communication in stories like Hans Christian Andersen’s has also proven to work against them. He claims the songs of mermaids are to calm the sailors already bound for death. The Little Mermaid dealt away her tongue in pursuit of human legs and love, and it inevitably led to her death as she could no longer tell the prince she saved him or bring herself to kill him either. Here, her voice, or lack thereof, is not a weapon or tool of destruction but a sacrifice or form of payment. She was willing to be silenced forever, even if her voice was her greatest or most powerful quality, all to be human and escape the water.

  This trope of voice and noise is particularly interesting when you factor in gender. Mermen have historically been rarely associated with singing. “Folklore remains pretty quiet on the subject of mermen’s singing ability” (Alexander 2). How come this singing motif is reserved only for mermaids? Their femaleness and their way of communicating (or killing) are directly linked. These early mermaid tales are from a time period where women were practically voiceless, politically, but also in the home. In a world run by men, women were meant to be fragile. They would not hit or scratch or be “unruly”. The second their words cut too deeply or were used too much and with too much volume, they were “hysterical.” In a world where you cannot legally own anything, including yourself, all you really have is your voice. It is so interesting to me, the dynamic of making a voice a weapon. “Psychologically, mermaids have been said to present the complexity of women’s emotions, ranging from playful to stormy” (Alexander 4). I consider it empowering to be acquainted with mermaids; they are beautifully powerful creatures free from the clutches of worldly patriarchy. This pride, however, is fogged by the seemly constant sexualization and demonization of these beings. Do women, and specifically young maids, lead to the downfall of men? Are we nothing more than long hair, breasts, mirrors, and combs? Are our voices shrill and headache-inducing? Mermaids, unlike other mythical monstrous, are driven by emotion and desire for connection; in a way, that’s what makes them so dangerous. So, as a woman with two legs and my feet on the ground, I can’t help but wonder if that same emotion also makes us dangerous to or different from men. 

 If song, sound, or speech is a mermaid’s sword and the very thing that makes her a monster, then ultimately, mermaids expose the societal fear of female power or expression. Cultural narratives have used monstrous mermaids as a tool to warn men of “crazy” women and keep us quiet. Luckily, in contrast, these stories have pulled a 180 in contemporary times. Serving as loveable monsters who have gone on to empower women and teach us a lesson or two about men. I, too, will make like a mermaid and use my voice as a tool.  

Works cited:

Alexander, Skye. “Mermaids’ Attributes, Behavior, and Environs.” Monsters, 1st edition, edited by Andrew J. Hoffman, Bedford-St. Martin’s, 2025, pp. 232-237. A Bedford Spotlight Reader.

The Life of a Siren

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The usage of mermaids in media, specifically in song writing and visuals, emphasizes this allegory between them and women grappling with their relationships, good or bad. In Taylor Swift’s new music video, The Fate of Ophelia, she utilizes mermaid visuals at one point in order to reflect this siren-like beckoning that love often brings, only to be met by betrayal. However, in recognizing the incredibly particular details of her portrayal of them, it creates the antithesis of the narrative that sirens solely act as villains of the a man’s story, existing to lure and deceive; rather, she chooses to recognize them as these elusive, but real and necessary, sentient characters with their own story to represent.

The song itself, from the title alone, reflects deep connections to literature. Taylor reflects on the story of Ophelia from Shakespearean literature, a character who was driven mad  by the men around her and her lack of value to them as a human being to the point that she drowned herself, Within the music video, she creates multiple textually based worlds to continuously relate this concept throughout storytelling of various women. At one minute and fifty-one seconds, four mermaids appear at the bottom of a pirate ship visual, indicating the first of many direct correlations to mermaid literature. 

Their appearance comes in as the lyrics “And if you’d never called for me” (Swift, 1:51-1:54) are sung, sparking this stereotypical connection to sirens. In most stories, their fate lies in luring men from safety, down dark and treacherous paths into the sea and inevitably, to their deaths. Them resting in the water, at the bottom near the plank she’s eventually forced to walk off the ship additionally reinforces this narrative of how mermaid-esque creatures seem to drag them into danger. This translates into women and love, as sirens often represent the parts of women that make them so desirable externally, and simultaneously, their internal softness. Even if it seems willing, surroundings seem to coerce the gentleness of women into giving in, knowing how it only brings ruin to their most vulnerable selves. This association of entrapment to mermaids and sirens, combined with escalating visuals of fighting between the pirates and Swift’s character in that moment, all points to this overwhelming theme that women are doomed in love, as are men lured by sirens. No real joy can find them as long as they are haunted by this narrative, as long as they are always seen this way. 

However, she spins the narrative in order to reflect the reality, that this love she’s referring to, that real and genuine love truly proves the opposite of all of these expectations previously written out for women. The sirens never instigate harm; in fact, they never reach for her at all, or anyone for that matter. It really reflects sirens and their connection to women as defenders, rather than seeking to draw them in the way they do with men. They aim to protect here, to act as this shield from falling into deceitful love once again. At the same time, the lyric continues to say “I might’ve lingered in purgatory”(1:55-1:58), referring to this despondence felt in that post-relationship state. In nearly every telling of sirens, their seeking out of a human being destroys the mortal’s life; the minute they choose to “fall”, they become stuck in this situation and oftentimes, never escape their ultimate fate of death. Referencing this saving, this ability to escape, shifts their alignment to be that of a positive ideal, that sirens existence does not automatically mean everything to follow will crumble. It brings them again as a figure of admiration for women, as a sense of security to their innermost selves. If anything, it juxtaposes typicality of love in the means of a couple; their individual existence, that whole and real love coming from them, saves human beings, namely women, from this unfortunate fate. 

These antitheses only seem to escalate when recognizing even the most minute details of lyric choice. In the previous verse, the same line ends in “I might’ve drowned in the melancholy” (Swift, 0:39-0:42). The usage of drown to a visual completely unrelated to sirens, and linger when they are present furthers this intention to alter the beliefs surrounding siren nature, and thereby love. Keeping them entirely separate from these visuals of death with the water emphasizes them as non-harmful aquatic beings; their existence does not automatically mean death by drowning, rather an eventually peaceful and hopeful resurfacing to ease. Love’s existence, women being engulfed in it does not equate to an immediately crushing demise, but a soft and easy landing into this fate of finding more. 

Imagery that affiliates itself with sirens comes into play once more in her lyricism, as she describes how love wraps around her “like a chain, a crown, a vine, pulling me into the fire” (2:00-2:07). It almost acts as a recall to this association of entrapment and fire’s correlation with eventual destruction. Again though, this wrapping visualizes how these sirens are seen as something enclosing and withholding, when it lies in the eyes of those witnessing and experiencing. This surrounding becomes a positive thing, the way sirens act as this kindness to women by shielding them. In the same sense, this encasing nature that’s referenced in the lyrics becomes actualized in the way that this all-consuming love seems to act as a force-field, as this barrier between happiness and hopelessness. It encompasses as a protection and finalizes the place of sirens as the image of safety, of how love’s all-consuming nature only aids it in its forcefield like state.

While all of the messaging points to this idea of love, of romance, it really fleshes itself out in the overall messaging behind Swift’s entire era. The Life of a Showgirl depicts this need to perform, as a celebrity, as a musician, and above it all, as a woman. Every visual within the music video references this showgirl like quality of womanhood, a constant need to be acting put together and impressing. Sirens and mermaids alike feel like one of the oldest representations of this feminine need to perform, to act in order to have their presence validated and valued. From stories like Undine to shield the ugly, or the Little Mermaid giving herself up entirely, women sacrifice and reshape themselves all for the love they think Swift pushes. This love she refers to really means within us; the woman’s need to wholeheartedly accept who she is, to accept the dirty siren that is so constantly demonized because, at her heart, she is good. This constant rejection of who truly lies underneath the “human” half must end; we must find acceptance of our whole mermaids in order to save ourselves from that treacherous “Fate of Ophelia”. 

A Contrast in Storytelling Viewpoint – Greeks Vs. The Church

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In the excerpt we read this week from the odyssey, we are introduced to the story of Odysseus and his interactions with Greek sirens. In this particular version, sirens are represented to be creatures of knowledge and fulfillment. The threat of the song – contrasting with what we are usually predisposed to think of when we think of sirens – conveys the sirens as being enlightened ones, willing to share their wisdom with those courageous enough to fall into their trap. In grecian mythology, the seduction of human kind, opposed to a sexual attraction, is that in which humans gain wisdom beyond that of human conceptions. The mind would be allowed to expand beyond the present forces of earth, gaining wisdom transcending possible universes. 

In the traditional English church, sirens and mermaids are presented to be sexual beings, intent to lure men in with sinful and lustful promises, eager to create sin and treachery. The use of mermaids and sirens meant to reflect women as immoral creatures, the cause of men to fail in their religion and faithhood. The church created such emphasis that men must abstain from fraternizing with women, in hopes of curbing their lewd fantasies leading to a state of unrighteousness. 

This comparison between how Sirens were transcribed and developed across different narratives was very stark and intrigued me into further thought. Why in Grecian culture was the thought of knowledge women a threat versus sexualized femininity. In a way, both can be interpreted to mean that a woman in a higher state of power over men would be detrimental to society and manhood. In other ways, we wonder why there was more emphasis on purity inside the church culture compared to that in Greek culture. In my own opinion, I see the English church finding the idea of women being knowledgeable a laughable idea, only being creatures designed to hinder the teachings of the divinity. 
In both backgrounds of storytelling, they become objectified, only to be seen as a hindrance to a man’s success. They are obstacles, attempting to gain unrightful power over a “higher” being – a male. These stories are a direct reflection of these time periods, a place where women did not have an identity outside of her husband, no place to be within her femininity or obtain her own knowledge. Why then is a story such as The Odyssey conceived with such reverie? Why do we continue to idolize works in which a man’s victory is his conquest to outwit a womanly being?