Lysistrata is a woman with an extraordinary mission of ending the Peloponnesian War. She persuades the women of Greece to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands and lovers. This is a strategy used as a mean of forcing the men to negotiate peace. However, their strategy only inflames the battle between the sexes. Lysistrata convinces the women, and in agreement they seize the Akropolis, site of Athena's temple. What I enjoyed about this playwright overall is the main character Lysistrata herself. She is fearless and determined and creative in her approach to change and for that I can commend her as a reader. I loved her analogy where she explains her opinion and hopeful outcome of the war based on a basic piece of wool. This to me shows that even though she seams fearless there is still innocence in her and a sense of hope that characterizes most women. I do have to say that my initial reaction to Lysistrata is a somewhat confused one. On the one hand, we have in view a headstrong group of women who seem to desire nothing more than to achieve peace in order to bring their husbands home. On the other, we have a group of seemingly foolish men who seem to be easily overcome by the strategies of the women. Also, Aristophanes, gives to these two groups is somewhat contradictory of the time. Women were often quiet and followed the rules – expect to indulge in Dionysian celebrations – and men were clearly the dominating partner. .
During this time period, there was a great foreshadowing of the struggles women have endured for hundreds of years and even today. Women still statistically make less money than men in certain job fields and there is no real explanation other than, that women are viewed in a different light. While women again, even today are being portrayed as sexual objects within the media, it's so interesting to read how Aristophanes believed the same thing even then.
