Analysis Of The Essay 'Athenian Women' By Sarah Ruden

Lysistrata In her essay on, “Athenian Women,” Sarah Ruden points out that Aristophanes in Lysistrata portray women as supportive of Athenian institutions and eager to save them. But she cautions, “To do this now they must flout law, religion, and every notion of public decency – and this is definitely no reflection on women’s attitudes, but mere satirical farce and fantasy” (Ruden 107). An important element of “satirical farce” in this spirit would be a heavy use of repetition to make people laugh at the weakness being satirized. One example would not be enough, and the audience might not be amused by less than three or four examples. So in important episodes that fill out the action of the play, we have 4 examples of women beating guards,

She offers to go home only if the men end the war. Cinesias decides to stay there and try to make love with Myrrhine. She tells Cinesias that she needs to get a mattress first before they start and leaves. She comes back with the mattress but realizes she forgot pillows and leaves again. At this point, it is abundantly clear she is teasing Cinesias. She comes back with the pillow and lays down on the mattress next to Cinesias. He assumes Myrrhine is ready and he goes to kiss her but she stands back up and yelled sheets! She forgot sheets so she leaves again for the third time. Cinesias is becoming angry. Now it is clearly obvious that she is teasing her husband by denying him sex. Myrrhine returns with the blanket and asked Cinesias if he wants oil as well. He tells her no but he chooses to leave again. This game that Myrrhine is playing with her husband is part of the sex strike plan. She is making the situation harder for the men who desperately want sex. She returns to Cinesias with the oil and gives him a sample. Cinesias dislikes the smell of it and tells Myrrhine he smells delay. She jokingly responses with, “Well, shame on me! I brought the one from Rhodes,” and leaves for the final time. Cinesias is furious and wants his wife to stay put. She returns with another bottle of oil. Cinesias yells at Myrrhine to stop moving around and just have sex. Her plan worked and ends the game by telling Cinesias, “Honey, don’t forget: You’re voting for a treaty,” and she leaves the scene for