It's easy to see why fourth century B.C. Athenian women would get tired of their men leaving. Most Athenian women married in their teens and never had to be on their own, and probably wouldn't know what to do if they did land on their own. The men leave for war and some don't return because of death or whatever reasons, so now a widow finds herself on her own, probably with children, and no one to take care of her or her children. She might be able to enter her male children as a journeyman/ward to a wealthy family (who either have no male children, or most likely lost their sons in one of the wars) that will raise him. The widow has few prospects. If she's young and attractive enough with the right domestic skills she might be able to remarry. But her lot isn't too promising. After all, why would you want a widow, when you could get a "fresh" wife to "break-in" the way you want and start a family from your own seed?.
According to Lysistrata it is easier to untangling multinational politics, stop wars and fighting than the women's work of sorting out wool. If you just stop war, it's settled, but with wool all tangles must be physically labored out by hand. Women's work is never done.
Lysistrata insists that women have the intelligence and judgment to make political decisions. She came by her knowledge, she says, in the traditional way: "I am a woman, and, yes, I have brains. And I'm not badly off for judgment. Nor has my education been bad, coming as it has from my listening often to the conversations of my father and the elders among the men.". Lysistrata was schooled in the traditional fashion, by learning from older men. Her old-fashioned training and good sense allowed her to see what needed to be done to protect the community. Like the heroines of tragedy, Lysistrata wants to put things back to the way they were. To do that, however, she has to become a revolutionary. .
Ending the war would be so easy that even women could do it.
Knowing their physical limitations, the women decide on a plan of attack that is lead by Lysistrata. Lysistrata is the mastermind and director of the action in Lysistrata. ... Lysistrata proved to be an influential leader to the women. ... Lysistrata is very different from her female counterparts. ... The Chorus in Lysistrata is split into two, the Chorus of Men and the Chorus of Women. ...
Knowing their physical limitations, the women decide on a plan of attack that is lead by Lysistrata. Lysistrata is the mastermind and director of the action in Lysistrata. ... Lysistrata proved to be an influential leader to the women. ... Lysistrata is very different from her female counterparts. ... The Chorus in Lysistrata is split into two, the Chorus of Men and the Chorus of Women. ...
Lysistrata Lysistrata is a play written in 411 BC by Aristophanes, who was a satirist. ... Lysistrata is probably the oldest comedy which has retained a place in modern theatre. ... In Lysistrata, Lysistrata defies the system of the oikos as represented as sex and attacks the privilege of war. ... Therefore, Lysistrata is defined as a woman who enters the world of the man and conquers it. ... Lysistrata is a reactionary, she wishes to preserve the way things were. ...
After reading Lysistrata, it is very obvious that it is a "Brillo pad comedy" aimed at reforming Greek society. ... It is Lysistrata who is the only one with any resolution and she is summoned by the chorus with the words, "All hail, O manliest woman of all!" ... Aristophanes was using the women and using the dialog of Lysistrata to get his point across. ... Lysistrata's speeches such as the one from line 650 to 670 give Aristophanes" specific instructions to the Greek leaders. ... Perhaps even more enlightening are Lysistrata's words regarding Greeks and Spartans on lines 1267-12...
This form was used in the play, Lysistrata, to illustrate this point. ... Lysistrata taking this role as a commander is not characteristic of women during this era. ... The story of Lysistrata contains other elements of comedy other than the pessimistic view. ... The reader gets to understand that Lysistrata is powerful, intelligent, and dedicated but never a reality of why Lysistrata is that way? ... The story of Lysistrata is an excellent example of Greek comedy for the reasons listed. ...
Written during the war, a time of chaos and crisis in Greece, Aristophanes" play Lysistrata was an attempt to lighten the atmosphere of the country, and provide humor for the people. ... In the opening scene, when Lysistrata is explaining her plan to the other women, Aristophanes shows the way females use their femininity and sexuality to gain power. They are going to "sit around all prettied up in flowers and scandalous saffron-yellow gowns, groomed- I do not think that Lysistrata was, in any way, a threat to the hierarchy of the government because at that time, females were looked upon...
Lysistrata By Aristophanes We can force our husbands to negotiate Peace, Ladies, by exercising steadfast Self Control- By Total Abstinence.......Total Abstinence from SEX! ... This group of girls, lead by Lysistrata, decided to not allow their husbands to have sex with them until they came home for good and stopped the war. ... Lysistrata held a meeting to give the women their plans. ... Eventually they are persuaded and they agree with Lysistrata. ... Lysistrata is a strong woman, a very strong woman. ...
The reader cannot help but smile when Lysistrata demands the women repeat the oath: "To husband or lover I"ll not open my thighs though he bring proof-of-love of monstrous size" (Lysistrata 260-264). ... "Lysistrata," demonstrates the depth of loathing for the war that was prevalent throughout Athens after the ruinous campaign to Sicily. ... Lysistrata's scheme to force the men of Greece to the peace table could never have been successful. ... Lysistrata does not cry for the loss of "women's way" but instead encourages the other women to use, literally, their sex as a weapon. ... ...
