The siren: a creature of divine femininity? A monster? A symbol of empowerment or a fetishisation?

The mythology of sirens as we know it now was extracted from far older myths. In Finnish folklore, the ‘soul bird’ is a mysterious eastern creature, half bird and half human, which delivers a soul to birth and to death. They were believed to be protective creatures, guarding the soul while it sleeps.  A darker interpretation of them, however, one far more devious, is the belief that they were winged ghosts who stole souls.

Filippo Palizzi, 1778

More specific Siren ghost stories arose during the ancient Greek period. A famous Greek folk-tale spread like wildfire, suggesting that Alexander the Great’s sister, Thessalonike of Macedon, had risen from the dead as a siren after her passing in 295 AD.

According to the myth, Thessalonike’s body inhabited the Aegean Sea. When a ship would pass by, she would ask, “Is King Alexander alive?”.

If the sailors replied, “He lives and reigns and conquers the world.” they would live. However, any other reply would result in catastrophe, wherein the sailors would face her wrath through a deadly storm.

1882

This folk-tale is the start of a common theme within siren stories: sailors drowning to the allure/poison of vicious women. This likely reflects social anxiety surrounding the monarchy, but also anxieties about women.

The sirens’ enchanting voice was first implied through the Greek mythological creature, Seirḗn. The enchanting voice could enthrall sailors and convince them to succumb to their death. This idea of the feminine allure encapsulates history’s perception of women.

One of the most famous depictions of the siren comes from Homer’s Odyssey. Written in the 8th century, it provides a haunting yet beautiful encounter with supposed sirens. Their beauty is juxtaposed with their lethal power. In the story, they are used as a symbol of doom, and the sailors become helpless victims to their charm.

This version of the siren is significant for building upon the idea that women are a threat to men. Upon a male-dominated ship, it’s not storms nor icebergs they fear. It’s women.

Henry Lee, 1883

Religions such as Christianity influenced how the idea of sirens was shaped during the medieval period. Sirens slowly transformed into a representation of temptation and desire. These stories represented the biblical belief that female seduction is linked to corruption.

Siren stories reveal inner social fear over men being corrupted by their carnal lust. However, this is not the case in every siren tale. In the Philippines, the siren is viewed as the protector of the sea and a sign of divine femininity – reflecting how culture and colonialism shape social ideas.

Post-romantic painters of the 19th century depicted sirens as aggressive ‘femme fatales’. This new trope incorporates seduction, power and mystery to the sirens and is more recognisable to modern ideas of sirens. The femme fatale trope depicts a beautiful woman who deceives and manipulates to lead people into deadly situations.

Painters such as John William Waterhouse and Gustave Moreau began fleshing out the siren as melancholic figures while eradicating their beauty and allure. It was during this time that the concept of sirens and mermaids began to blur together, the two myths becoming entangled into a version which doesn’t quite tell the whole story.

John William Waterhouse, ‘Ulysses and the Sirens’ (1891)

In modern day, the siren and the mermaid have become pop culture icons. Stars like Ariel from Walt Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ rose into popularity, and modern adaptations tended to twist the myth into a symbol of innocence. Gone is the seduction, now replaced by a white slate of purity. 

Fortunately, in music, siren imagery is often used by female artists as a form of sexual empowerment. Artists are reclaiming the myth and interpreting it in a positive light instead of using it to promote religious moral panic.

It is fascinating how the siren manifested from half-bird woman, to half-fish and the difference in the importance of aesthetic beauty between them. Sirens reflect the evolution of social views about women. Once dangerous and beastly. Now elegant – yet that beauty is monstrous. 

Image Credit Pexels / Paola Koenig

Feminist readings unmask the siren not as a villain, but as a figure who challenges patriarchal narratives. By tracing the steps of history, we discover not only a mystic myth but a reflection of society itself. It reveals the ever-changing perceptions of women and how culture, religion and colonialism constantly impact it.

Featured Image Credit: Charles Mavelot, 1695