A comic Utopia: Lysistrata
Escapism is one of the primary defenses humans seem to employ in times of war and great depressions. In 411 BCE, at one of the lowest point of the Peloponnesian War, there is indeed much that an Athenian would want to escape from. In midst of the harsh turmoil of the Athenians, Aristophanes writes Lysistrata, a comedy expressing the longing for peace. In Lysistrata, Aristophanes presents a refracted view of their city. Through a comic plot of a sex strike, the women of this Athens are able to achieve the peace that eludes Aristophanes' audience. The world of Lysistrata is an utopia where fantastical plots about peace can be achieved without negative consequences. The comedy and absurdity of the world of Lysistrata gives the Athenians temporary relief from the throes of war that they cannot amend through such simple means.The real Athens of 411 is in the middle of a losing war. The Peace of Nikias made in 421 had long ago crumbled. In the summer of 413, Athens suffers a disastrous campaign to Syracuse, and loses mass amount of men and ships. In light of this loss, in the winter of that year, the formerly neutral states of Greece decide to join in with Sparta. To make matters worse, the allies under the
Some topics in this essay:
Athens Herms, Athens Sparta, Unlike Aristophanes', Instead Lysistrata, Commissioner Lysistrata, Lysimakhe Lysistrata, Lysistrata Lysistrata's, Gilbert Norwood, Peace Nikias, Lysistrata Aristophanes, traditional religion, world lysistrata, women athens, athenian women, parabasis lysistrata, situation aristophanes, athens able, athenian spartan, title character, play lysistrata,
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Approximate Word count = 2040
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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