Charon's Boat

Sirens

The only time I can remember enjoying something I was forced to read in high school was the Odyssey in the 9th grade. The Sirens had to have been a big part of that since I've been fascinated with the idea of what they are: irresistable women who promise to reveal all the secrets of the world.

I more or less finished this one a month ago, and I let it sit for a while. When I came back to tinker with it yesterday, I decided that it was, with a couple mods to the text, ready to go. I hope you like it.

By the way, the source picture is of the lovely Mila Kunis.

Ancient Mind Control

Here are two women who are two have appeared in many guises, and they've consistently been given a bad rap. All the following quotes are from Book 12 of The Odyssey by Homer

Circe, the sorceress, tells Odysseus a story about his journey ahead:

'and now pay attention to what I am about to tell you- heaven itself, indeed, will recall it to your recollection. First you will come to the Sirens who enchant all who come near them. If any one unwarily draws in too close and hears the singing of the Sirens, his wife and children will never welcome him home again, for they sit in a green field and warble him to death with the sweetness of their song.

Then Odysseus tells his crew what he wants them to do:

I will therefore tell you about them, so that whether we live or die we may do so with our eyes open. First she said we were to keep clear of the Sirens, who sit and sing most beautifully in a field of flowers; but she said I might hear them myself so long as no one else did. Therefore, take me and bind me to the crosspiece half way up the mast; bind me as I stand upright, with a bond so fast that I cannot possibly break away, and lash the rope's ends to the mast itself. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still.

Of course, the crew is to stuff their ears with wax first. This is what happens when he reaches them:

"'Come here,' they sang, 'renowned Ulysses, honour to the Achaean name, and listen to our two voices. No one ever sailed past us without staying to hear the enchanting sweetness of our song- and he who listens will go on his way not only charmed, but wiser, for we know all the ills that the gods laid upon the Argives and Trojans before Troy, and can tell you everything that is going to happen over the whole world.'

"They sang these words most musically, and as I longed to hear them further I made by frowning to my men that they should set me free; but they quickened their stroke, and Eurylochus and Perimedes bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out of hearing of the Sirens' voices.

Beautiful words, hints at delivering everything Odysseus might want. They sound like a pair of lovely, sweet young women.

Domination in Space

Over at io9.com, they composed a list of the greatest SF dominatrices of all time. The 'bringers of pain and delight' from Spock's Brain have always been a favorite; push button control of the men they'd captured. Very nice.

Unfortunately, there is one glaring oversight on the list. They forgot Ursa.

I guess I was about ten when she came along in Superman 2. I didn't care much about General Zod or Non, but she was another one of 'those' girls: dark clothes, dusky makeup, cruel and pretty. I was kind of hoping she and Superman could work something out, especially since I liked Lois Lane about as much as Ursa did.

(tip of the hat to Boot Lady Teri, where I discovered the link.)

Exhibits A & B.

First, a definition from Merriam-Webster Online. Femme Fatale: 1 : a seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations 2 : a woman who attracts men by an aura of charm and mystery

Almost as much as hypnosis and erotic mind control, I've been a fan of film noir and the pulp fiction from the 1930's and 1940's. The character list from these books holds many of my literary hall of fame: Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Mike Hammer, The Continental Op. The movies continue to be ones I watch again and again: The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Sweet Smell of Success, Hollywood Boulevard.

In many of these movies, the hero is faced with a femme fatale, and the best of these confrontations hinge on the hero's loyalty to the truth versus her sexual allure which entices him to fake one small detail, one piece for her benefit with the hero having more than enough skill to do so and make everyone believe the lie. In return, she hints at things, sensual, dark things which she knows he wants.

As I mentioned in my first post, I always wanted these women to win. The exceptions appear in the well-executed stories from this genre. I'm torn because I can see both sides, and I found myself as torn by it as much as Sam Spade at the end of the Maltese Falcon when he tells Miss O'Shaughnessy that every part of her seductive charm worked but even that wasn't enough:

Well, I'll have some rotten nights after I've sent you over, but that will pass. If all I've said doesn't mean anything to you, then forget it and we'll make it just this: I won't because all of me wants to, regardless of consequences, and because you counted on that with me the same as you counted on that with all the others.

With conflicts and characters like this, It's not much of a stretch to figure why I like these books and movies so much. They are grown up versions of the things I liked in Saturday morning cartoons. That doesn't mean they are the only movies and books with those kinds of themes, but they remain my favorites.

But, back to the kind of woman I wish would win and Exhibit A. She's only a cartoon, but she gets gold stars on every part of the checklist:

1. Powerful.
2. Seductive
3. Attractive.
4. Purposeful.
5. Skilled, beyond just her seductiveness/sexuality (1:50 into the video).

Exhibit B is Lauren Bacall. She has the look, the seductiveness, and the sexiest voice this side of Kathleen Turner, but she never crossed over to the dark side. It is indeed a shame. This is from To Have and Have Not. It was her first movie. She was nineteen years old. Impressive. Most Impressive.