Phaedra the Siren: The superficiality of infatuation

Phaedra lulls at sea, draped in satin that melts when touched by water, perched on the rocky coast. Temptress by night and day, Phaedra represents desire, impulse, and risk. Her voice and beauty make any man surrender to her grasp. Sirens, half-bird and half-woman, possess an unmatched level of sultry that allures any man that crosses paths with them. She wades in the waters with urgency and impetuousness. Phaedra lulls on, hoping that she is in proximity to an incoming feast. 

Men sail by, victim to infatuation, and in their demise they become Phaedra’s feast. Ship destroyed, men consumed, Phaedra continues her conquest. Her feast is a product of infatuation and lust. 

Infatuation as a psychological phenomenon entails a constant state of arousal and demonstrates a variant of ‘love at first sight’. After infatuation comes a more serious passion—romantic and consummate love. Both infatuation and love are powerful states. Infatuation can result in impulsivity, as depicted in Greek Mythology where men fell victim to the allure of a Siren’s lulls. This hasty lust contributes to this impulsivity and the urge to itch that attraction and lust. The gratification that sailors felt when falling into the arms of Phaedra is short-lived, a symptom of infatuation. 

Ultimately, love, infatuation, passion, lust, and other states associated with attraction are an enigma. These states are complex and can be attributed to suffering and heartbreak, but can also be utterly beautiful. Romantic love is a testament to the strength and tenacity of one’s bond with another, and can ultimately be made stronger or break. 

There is no love between Phaedra and the men she feasts on. It’s rather symbolic of human nature and their ability to fall prey to infatuation, lust, and short-lived passion.