Lysistrata Gender Roles
Alex Hummel
World Civilization 1
Lysistrata
When Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata he gave a new perspective on the role women played in Greece. He empowered women during a time when women had very little say in society. Of course strictly fictional, Aristophanes writes about how women could end the Peloponnesian war. After years of war, Lysistrata comes up with a plan to bring peace. Through her knowledge and wit she rallies the women from Greece to deploy her plan. Lysistrata stays calm in heated arguments and keeps the women’s spirits high when they begin to flounder. Lysistrata is seen as a revolutionary for women rights, which is ironic for the time for when it was written. The play begins with Lysistrata having a conversation …show more content…
The Magistrate orders his Scythian policeman to arrest the rioting women but the women band together and threaten the guards where it would hurt them most. The power is invested in the women as the guards defecate in terror. Finally, the Magistrate listens to Lysistrata. She explains how women never get to speak about matters such as war with their husbands. The Magistrate is impatient but Lysistrata remains firm with her acquisition. Later in the play Lysistrata is concerned by some of the women who begin lusting for their husbands. Four women try to escape from the Acropolis each with a different excuse. Lysistrata sees right through these women’s excuses and orders them back. Lysistrata pulls the women back together as a good leader would do. She knows it is important for her cause. Soon Lysistrata’s plan comes into action. A man approaches the gate of the Acropolis. It is Cinesias, who has extreme sexual excitement. He is longing for his wife Myrrhine. He tries to have sex with Myrrhine but finds the task impossible because she has a never-ending list of requests. After her many requests, Cinesias gives up. He is not angry but he is now even more excited then before because of Myrrhines resistance. His attitude begins to change because of Myrrhines control of sex. Soon other men go to the Magistrate with the same erection problem. The women from all over Greece have been denying their
World Civilization 1
Lysistrata
When Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata he gave a new perspective on the role women played in Greece. He empowered women during a time when women had very little say in society. Of course strictly fictional, Aristophanes writes about how women could end the Peloponnesian war. After years of war, Lysistrata comes up with a plan to bring peace. Through her knowledge and wit she rallies the women from Greece to deploy her plan. Lysistrata stays calm in heated arguments and keeps the women’s spirits high when they begin to flounder. Lysistrata is seen as a revolutionary for women rights, which is ironic for the time for when it was written. The play begins with Lysistrata having a conversation …show more content…
The Magistrate orders his Scythian policeman to arrest the rioting women but the women band together and threaten the guards where it would hurt them most. The power is invested in the women as the guards defecate in terror. Finally, the Magistrate listens to Lysistrata. She explains how women never get to speak about matters such as war with their husbands. The Magistrate is impatient but Lysistrata remains firm with her acquisition. Later in the play Lysistrata is concerned by some of the women who begin lusting for their husbands. Four women try to escape from the Acropolis each with a different excuse. Lysistrata sees right through these women’s excuses and orders them back. Lysistrata pulls the women back together as a good leader would do. She knows it is important for her cause. Soon Lysistrata’s plan comes into action. A man approaches the gate of the Acropolis. It is Cinesias, who has extreme sexual excitement. He is longing for his wife Myrrhine. He tries to have sex with Myrrhine but finds the task impossible because she has a never-ending list of requests. After her many requests, Cinesias gives up. He is not angry but he is now even more excited then before because of Myrrhines resistance. His attitude begins to change because of Myrrhines control of sex. Soon other men go to the Magistrate with the same erection problem. The women from all over Greece have been denying their