Lysistrata is a play, specifically a satire, written by the Greek playwright Aristophanes. Aristophanes was a comic playwright from Athens. He was an aristocrat who wrote many plays and often used humor and satire as a way portraying as well as criticizing the lives of ancient Athenians. His many works reveal information regarding life at his time.
Lysistrata is mainly an anti-war piece. It was written and staged during the peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta. The war has been going on for many years, and at that time no solution seemed to be emerging. This is emphasized by the name of the main character, and title of the play, Lysistrata, which means “army-disbander.” Intertwined with this theme are sex, gender roles, and women’s place in athenian society. Together these ideas reveal
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It is the women who come out on top, succeeding in their mission to end the war, but that is more of a criticism of the men than glorifying of the women. Through the whole process the “weaknesses” of women are revealed. For instance, the women’s initial response when they here Lysistrata’s plan. Myrrhine for example agrees to follow Lysistrata even “if we must die for it” but when she hears the plan says: “No, I won’t do it. Let the war proceed.” (page 9). It seems as if death was a better option than abstinence. Other women reply in the same way and even say: “O bid me to walk in fire but do not rob us of that darling joy” (page 10). This leads to a problem later on when some of the women struggle to keep up their promise. Many of them disperse under false pretenses in order to go back home and be with their husbands. Lysistrata admits that she “cannot shut their ravenous appetites” (page 41). This shows the weakness of women, who are portrayed as independent creators who need their husbands for