Lysistrata

A detailed Summary of Lysistrata

One of the most famous of Aristophanes' comedies depicting powerfully effectual women is the Lysistrata, named after the female lead character of the play. It portrays Athenian Lysistrata (which means "release of war") and the women of Athens teaming up with the women of Sparta to force their husbands to end the Peloponnesian War.

To make the men agree to a peace treaty, the women seized the Acropolis, where Athens' financial reserves are kept, and prevented the men from squandering them further on the war. They then beat back an attack on their position by the old men who have remained in Athens while the younger men are out at war. When their husbands return from battle, the women refuse to have sex with them. This sex strike finally convinces the men of Athens and Sparta to agree to a peace treaty.

Lysistrata shows women acting bravely and even aggressively against men who seem resolved on ruining the city-state by prolonging a pointless war and excessively expending reserves stored in the Acropolis. This in turn added to the destruction of their family life by staying away from home for long stretches while on military campaign. The men would come home when they could, sexually relieve themselves, and then leave again

Aristophanes (Through the eyes of the women) mocks man's inclination for fighting. His catalyst was Lysistrata, feminist champion over war through peace. The idea of role reversal was as funny to the Athenians. Their culture was such that each gender had very defined roles, and there really wasn't any room for leeway.

Again this is illustrated at the start of Act Two. Holding-out started to become a serious internal conflict. The women started to mutiny. They started making up all sorts of reasons and excuses to leave the Acropolis. All through the play there is a heavy sexual connotation, but here the excuses are not valid.

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. Aristophanes is telling Athenian men, and Athenians should concern themselves with preserving the old ways, lest they be lost.

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

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1057
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts