Lysistrata Of Aristophanes

1200 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women's role in greek literature

The Lysistrata of Aristophanes Aristophanes was a satirist who produced Lysistrata around 413 BC when the news of Athen’s warships had been destroyed near Sicily. For twenty-one years, while Athens was engaged in war, he relentlessly and wittliy attacked the war, the ideals of the war, the war party and the war spirit. This risked his acceptance and his Athenian citizenship. Lysistrata is probably the oldest comedy which has retained a place in modern theatre. It primarily deals with two themes, war and the power of sexuality.. Lysistrata (an invented name meaning, She Who Puts an End to War) has summoned the women of Athens to meet her at the foot of Acropolis. She puts before them the easy invitation that they must never lie again with their husbands until the war is ended. At first, they shudder and withdraw and refuse until, with the help of the women from Sparta and Thebes, they are impelled to agree. The women seize the Acropolis from which Athens is funding the war. After days of sexually depriving their men in order to bring peace to there communities. They defeat back in an attack from the old men who had remained in Athens while the younger men are on their crusade. When their husbands return from battle, the women reject sex and stand guard at Acropolis. The sex strike, portrayed in risqué episodes, finally pressure the men of Athens and Sparta to consent to a peace treaty. Ancient Greece in 431 BC was not a nation. It was a collection of rival city-states that were allies with each other or with leading military powers. Athens was a great naval power, while Sparta relied mainly on its army for superiority. In 431 BC, these alliances went to war against each other in a conflict called the Peleponnesian War. The war, which went on for 27 years, is named for the Peloponnesus, the peninsula on which Sparta is located. As the war began, Sparta and Athens each took advantage of their military strengths. Sparta ravaged Attica, the territory around Athens, while the Athenian navy raided cities in Peloponnesus. This strategy lasted for two years. Meanwhile, Pericles’ death in 429 BC left the democracy open for hostile factions and reckless leaders who pursued their own advantages. Chief among these leaders was Alcibiades, who was as irresponsible as brilliant. By 425 BC, Sparta’s hopes for victory were bleak, and its leaders were ready to ask... ... middle of paper ... ... to succeed. Ending the war would be so easy that women could complete the task. Aristophanes is not one of the most profound or exalted of Greek poets, but he is the most creative. Others deal with the world as it is, glorifying it or justifying its flaws, discovering hidden values in it and suggesting how they may be realized. Aristophanes erases the present and constructs another. He rids history and its constraints. If war has become tiresome he makes a private treaty and fetches the goddess of Peace. If Athens has become tiresome, he builds a new one in the sky. As Lysistrata shows, he is more moved by sympathy for the innocent sufferers of war than anger against the warmongers. Although caustic and good-humored, he intended to show the power lust and civil war amongst the Greeks. Works Cited Aristophanes’ Lysistrata. 18 September 2000. *http://www1.cc.va.us/hurst/eng251cr/* Arkins, Brian. Classics Ireland. "Sexuality in Fifth-Century". 15 September 2000. *http://www.ucd.ie/classics/94/Arkins94.html/* Hadas, Moses. Lysistrata. The Complete Plays of Aristophanes. New York, 1962. 287-328 Peleponnesian War. 16 September 2000. *http:/www.library.thinkquest.org/*

Show More
Related

  • The Pros And Cons Of College Grants

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in student enrollment in higher education after high school effecting the need for financial aid for all students. Education has become a growing part in America where more students want to better their lives with a college education. However, the cost of college tuition has increased and more students find themselves struggling to pay off the enormous tuition rates. In a recent study by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, student debt has reached $1 trillion in federal loan debt. Student loan debt has crippled the economy and students are struggling to pay off federal loans. In order to help students with the high tuition rates of college the government and universities offer

    Read More

  • Gender Inequality In Lysistrata

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the introduction of the scene, the women are gathering for a meeting which Lysistrata request for and she begins to reveal her plan, as women, we can work together to end the war. At the start, Kalonkie, a friend of Lysistrata initiated “How can women do a thing so austere, so political?”(10), immediately women are questioning what qualification women can do to end a war the only skill comprehend is to be a lovely housewife. The notion of women minds dose not expands and believes that they are capable of doing things beyond. As well in this quote, there is emphasize on the word “political” Kalonkie is demonstrates politics is a difficult aspect to understand and is mainly a man’s job. The questions of women do not have the qualify knowledge of fixing such a complex situation. However, once Lysistrata deliberates her plan on a sex strike unhesitatingly Kalonkie speaks “no! I’d walk through fire for you- you know I would!”(10), this immediate response shows women are not entirely supportive of Lysistrata’s plan, and women will exclusive will do anything else besides supporting the sex strike. As well, a scene in the Akropolis women is infidelity escaping so they can go have sexually contact with their husbands. Lysistrata response on this behave was not positive aspect about women “No wonder poets write tragedies about us.” (12), Lysistrata the protagonist demonstrates responses are actually the behavior of what men consider of women. Women are considered only for their sexual desire, to be pretty and sit all day, while allowing the men achieve all the action and heroic stuff. These impressions of hesitance of women are shown throughout in deliberation and see nothing beyond of

    Read More

  • The Causes and Effects of the Peloponnesian War

    1350 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Peloponnesian War was between the Greek cities of Athens and Sparta due to the growing tensions that continued to grow between the two cities that eventually came to a breaking point. The Peloponnesian War, which can be divided into three phases known as: The Archidamian War, The Sicilian Expedition and The Decelean War, is one of the greatest event in Greek history and an analysis of the causes and effects of this war will give us a better understanding for how the cities of Athens and Sparta came to war and the impact it left behind.

    Read More

  • Peter Singer Arguments Analysis

    1107 Words  | 3 Pages

    Do citizens of affluent countries have an obligation to help those who are in poorer countries? According to Peter Singer in Famine, Affluence, and Morality, if you do not give all of your resources to aid relief except those to support your basic needs than you are doing something seriously wrong. I will begin by laying out Peter Singer’s argument. His argument holds that we do have an obligation to help those who are in poorer countries by giving aid donations. I then claim that the current state of society conflicts with his argument and how this objection may not necessarily hold. Afterwards I will consider a more practical objection that claims aid donations are not enough to help people in poorer countries. Lastly, I will consider a possible

    Read More

  • Peter Singer Famine Affluence And Morality Essay

    1091 Words  | 3 Pages

    Peter Singer, an Australian Moral philosopher, argues in his essay “ Famine, affluence and Morality”, that "If it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, then we ought, morally, to do it.” Singer goes on to argue, essentially, that rich westerners ought to donate more than what is standard practice to humanitarian causes, and to do otherwise is immoral. Though few could doubt Singer's devotion to helping the poor around the world, Singer's essay ultimately fails. The best case scenario is that Singer is engaging in supreme wishful thinking, worst case is that he is being intellectually dishonest.

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Singer Solution To World Poverty

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    Bob would have to sacrifice far more than two hundred dollars in order to save the child in the scenario. Choosing to save the Bugatti is morally reprehensible. With the audience’s assumed reaction in mind, he says, “It is hard to see how you could deny that it is also very wrong not to send money to one of the organizations” (565). While it is understood that Singer is comparing the weight of two hundred dollars to the majority of Bob’s life savings, invested in his Bugatti, as quite less significant, he believes a clear moral line cannot be drawn between the two. Again, he states plainly, “These readers seem to be acting at least as badly as Bob” (566). As badly as Bob, truly? If Singer undoubtedly does not believe everyone should be giving all or most of their disposable income to charities, why does Bob’s Bugatti represent the bulk of his life savings? This begs the question: Are our necessities so easily quantifiable? Does Bob’s Bugatti only represent all unnecessary

    Read More

  • Peter Singer Famine

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    Singer continues and “ . . . begin[s] with the assumption that suffering and death from lack of food, shelter and medical care are bad” (Singer 231). He brings to the audience attention that most humans will agree with his previous statement, implying that the majority of readers are in agreeance with him on what is bad. To follow, Singer argues that if we have the ability to stop something bad from taking place, without doing anything immoral, neglecting to advance something of moral importance and bringing about anything else equally bad, we have to do it. Singer gives two principal corollaries: the idea that proximity does not matter and the concept that giving to other is not just charity, but moral duty. He believes that it is our moral responsibility to look behind our self-interests and support others who are suffering no matter their location. Singer’s essay highlights the importance of giving up enough without sacrificing anything of proportionate moral significance to prevent the misery and misfortune in the

    Read More

  • Peter Singer Analysis

    764 Words  | 2 Pages

    Peter singer argues that it shouldn’t be any reason for Americans to don’t donate money to poor children when they can afford luxuries that are not important for their lives and health. Singer used two examples with two different situations and he tying to motivate readers to donate as much as money they can.

    Read More

  • College Debt Is Crushing a Generation of Students

    1401 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the past decade, it has become evident to the students of the United States that in order to attain a well paying job they must seek a higher education. The higher education, usually a college or university, is practically required in order to succeed. To be able to attend these schools and receive a degree in a specific field it means money, and often a lot of it. For students, the need for a degree is strong, but the cost of going to college may stand in the way of a successful future. Each year the expense of college rises, resulting in the need for students to take out loans. Many students expect to immediately get a job after graduation, however, in more recent years the chances for college graduates to get a well paying job isn’t nearly as high as it used to be. Because students can no longer depend on getting a job fresh out of college, it has become harder to repay the loans. Without a steady income, these individuals have gone into debt and frequently default loans. If nothing is done to stop colleges and universities from increasing the cost of attending their school, the amount of time it takes for students to pay off their loans will become longer and longer. The extreme expenses to attend a college or university may leave a student in financial distress: which may ultimately lead to hardship in creating a living for them and affect the country’s economy.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Student Debt

    603 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the time they enter high school, American students are conditioned to believe that pursuing a higher education is necessary to their success. Advanced classes and extracurricular activities are justified as being preparation for the future. However, as colleges continue to raise costs, it has become practically infeasible to expect young adults and their families to pay for an education out of pocket. Although student loans are available, they are extremely difficult to pay off quickly, so students are leaving school with thousands of dollars in debt, often without employment. Receiving a college education, a vital tool in today’s society, now presents an economic crisis to recent graduates in the form of student loan debt that threatens the financial security of the future workforce as well as the rest of the American population.

    Read More

  • College Tuition Boom

    479 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Boom of the college tuition bubble saw a visible increase in price due to massive demand and expanded credit, as caused by the Displacement demonstrated above. Students are investing more and more in college hoping for an advantage because of their degrees and many jobs require some level of postsecondary education, making the investment seem necessary. The demand increase for college becomes visible through the statistics of student loan debt. College Board’s Trends in Student Aid states that 10% of people graduating in 2007-8 had loans over $40,000. The Project on Student Debt discloses that 206,000 graduated from college in 2008 with more than $40,000 loan debt, a ninefold increase from 1996. Outstanding student debt has tripled in the past ten years, increasing from $363 billion to more than $1.3 trillion. Seven of ten students graduate from college with debt, exceeding credit card and auto loan debt combined. Currently, over 40 million people hold debt from their student loans, and annual

    Read More

  • Student Loans In America

    1550 Words  | 4 Pages

    The average yearly tuition for public schools in 1988 was at $3,190, adjusted to 2018 dollars. In 2017, the price is at $9,970 (Martin). These prices are increasing much more rapidly than consumer goods, food, or medical expenses. Why is college becoming so costly? A college degree is becoming more and more of a necessity to live comfortably, and students are encouraged as early as grade school to seek out a baccalaureate. Universities are aware of this, and take no shame in taking advantage. As schools are marking up their tuition costs rapidly, they are still flocked with applications, to the point where many colleges are picky with admissions. If congress placed limits on how much public universities can charge for yearly tuition, or tied the rates of tuition increase to the rate of inflation, the student debt crisis would slowly improve. Some states have even implemented free community college, including Tennessee, Oregon, and New

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Kerry James Marshall's Exhibition Mastry

    1135 Words  | 3 Pages

    An artwork that stood out in the exhibition was School of Beauty, School of Culture (2012) . It portrays women and two children standing in a beauty salon and school with green walls and a red floor. The walls have posters promoting black beauty with one that reads, “it’s your hair” and under this statement are the words love, dark and lovely. There are mirrors against the wall and in the reflection a camera flash is shown from a person who is taking a picture of those in the salon. Red, black, and green, the colors of the Afro-American flag, border the top of the wall, symbolizing the black power movement . The focal point of this piece is a woman who stands in the center, posing for the person taking a picture. To her right, towards the floor, is a “floating” head of a white woman which is compressed and 2-dimensional. This is a tribute to Hans Holbein’s The Ambassadors (1533) because in Holbein’s piece, there is a 2-dimensional skull painted in the same fashion. Just how the skull in The Ambassadors is a reminder of death, the head in Marshall’s

    Read More

  • Conflict Analysis: Management Style And Conflict Resolution

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    Conflict is an inevitable part of life that occurs when people have incompatible interests, experiences, feelings, or ideals (Meier, 2011). How people respond to conflict can either benefit or harm the direction of the disagreement. Having a better understanding on how to respond to conflict, especially in work environments, can greatly reduce work stress and quarrels from escalating. Through strategies and processes to manage conflict, members of management can uncover the best possible resolution of a conflict situation to preserve relationships and improve communication and trust.

    Read More

  • Essay on Satire in Lysistrata

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... convey deeper themes of life and death, the struggles between power and class structure and also the societal differences between men and women.  Aristophanes uses humor to hook his audience into his play, and then undermines the surface humor with much bigger thematic issues.  If this play had simply been about women withholding sex for other reasons such as wanting more money for shopping or other frivolous ideas it would not then be considered a satiric comedy.  Satire requires more than physical humor.  An issue must be raised such as the life and death theme that is seen in the war in Lysistrata, and a solution must then be made.  Aristophanes created the women in the beginning to be bickering, unintelligent, and self-centered people.  But in the end it was their idea and compromise that ended the war.

    Read More

More about Lysistrata Of Aristophanes

Open Document