Lysistrata and The Importance of Being Ernest comparative essay
Lysistrata is a play that was set in Athens between 410 and 412 BC. At the time the play was set, women were expected to have no rights in society, and were not allowed/expected to discuss their opinions in matters subjective to men only. Women also had to obey their husbands at all time, and accept any demands made by their husband. The Importance of Being Ernest (TIOBE) was set during the Victorian Era, and at this time, the way women were expected to behave was similar to that of Lysistrata. And men were expected to be committed, and had a strict set of rules to follow when trying to address a woman. However, in Lysistrata, the female characters (mainly Lysistrata and Myrrhine) are seen to break all the rules and norms expected of a woman as they rebel against the men by refusing to have sex with them in order to stop the civil war in Greece. In TIOBE, the female characters show glimpse of following the Victorian ideals of womanhood; whilst the male characters are seen to not follow the rules as much. Both the plays involve characters of the upper middle class and upper class; therefore the targeted audience will also be of upper and middle class people.
Firstly, in Lysistrata the male characters do not play a significant role, and rarely appear. But in the scenes that involves the male characters, they are either seen discussing political issues, or desperate for sex. For example: the scene of Myrrhine’s seduction. Cinesias is seen as desperate for sex as he is “stiff with desire”. The word stiff is used to describe Cinesias’s penis, which shows his sexual desires and how desperate he is for sex. This also shows that he is unable to control his sexual temptations, while Myrrhine is able to; further revealing that men were weak. The quote: “won’t you please come?” proves this as Cinesias is shown pleading for sex.
The men in TIOBE play a more dominant role in the play, although they do not fully reflect on the ideals of Victorian manhood. For example,
Firstly, in Lysistrata the male characters do not play a significant role, and rarely appear. But in the scenes that involves the male characters, they are either seen discussing political issues, or desperate for sex. For example: the scene of Myrrhine’s seduction. Cinesias is seen as desperate for sex as he is “stiff with desire”. The word stiff is used to describe Cinesias’s penis, which shows his sexual desires and how desperate he is for sex. This also shows that he is unable to control his sexual temptations, while Myrrhine is able to; further revealing that men were weak. The quote: “won’t you please come?” proves this as Cinesias is shown pleading for sex.
The men in TIOBE play a more dominant role in the play, although they do not fully reflect on the ideals of Victorian manhood. For example,