Womens Roles In The Lysistrata Play English Literature Essay

There is much about war in “Lysistrata”. The women dressed real pretty so the guys would come back home and quit the war. The women went on sex strike until the war was over and peace was made. The men tried to resist, but the women were just way to powerful for them. One example in the book was when the women sat around at home looking pretty and wearing nothing but see-through underwear while walking by the men. The men really wanted to have sex and it was hard for them to resist their wives. Kalonike wore a party dress and makeup which turned her husband on for sex, but she would not give him any until the war stopped. For instance, when the men brought a police officer to tie Lysistrata up, she threatened to make him cry and the officer retreated. Then Magistrate sent a second cop and the first old woman came out of the gates protecting Acropolis and threatened both of them if they so much as touched Lysistrata she would “by Pandrosos beat the shit out of them.” Then both cops retreated. When Magistrate ordered a third policeman to come in and to tie up the first old woman with the dirty mouth, a second old woman came out and said to the third policeman “if he comes near her he will be begging for an eye cup because she will bring the lady of light at him.” Then the third police officer retreated. When Magistrate sent a fourth policeman, Lysistrata sent a third old woman out who threatened to pull his hair out until he screams.

Things in our society are different from those of the Greek culture. Now, women don’t go on sex strikes to end a war. The President gives the orders as the commander and chief of the military and the generals of the various military branches carries them out. Men and women are both fighting in war zones as part of our military in today’s society. Women still want their husbands to come home from war just like the Greek women wanted their husbands home from the war. But, today, there are also husbands who want their wives home from war also. I think now men and women’s powers are equal in every aspect of life when raising a child, doing chores, going to school, and being in the military.

Women’s roles in Greek society were often displayed in “Lysistrata”. The women were to take care of the babies, their husbands and their homes. They also were to be beautiful . Women always managed the household finances. Women were not to be soldiers in the war, but give birth to sons and send them off to fight in the war. I think now days women and men share duties of taking care of the children. There could also be situations of role reversal where the man takes care of the children while the wife is overseas fighting in a war. Most women always like to look pretty nowadays just as in the Greek culture. In today’s culture, usually both parents talk about and strategize on their financial needs and goals. Women can go to college and do any type of job any man could do. The women now don’t have to band together to get the attention of a man.

In “Lysistrata”, there are episodes of comedy with conflict. In the play, characters taunted each other back and forth until one person or group would stop. The women’s leader protecting the Acropolis asked the men’s leaders if he had any soap because she would give him a bath. When the men were about to torch the women’s hair, the women flashed the men and they stood there in shock for a while. The women’s leader watered them down so they would bloom. Before the women watered down the men, they mock the women by saying, ” I’m already dried out from shivering.” I think it’s funny how the women think they can stop the war with yarn balls and spindles. It was funny when the men say let’s take off our tunics because men have to smell like men. Then the women say, women take off your tunics because we have to smell like women. The third wife fakes a pregnancy, so she can get out of war. Then Lysistrata feels her stomach and says that’s hollow. Lysisitrata pulls up her dress and says your big with a sacred helmet not with baby boy. The third wife says if she has the baby in the cithadel she could make birth in the helmet like a pigeon would do. When Myrrhine acts like she was going to have sex with Kinesias, she wastes time by getting a mattress, a blanket, and a pillow. She left him there and went back to Acropolis. When Herald accidently revealed his erect phallus. Kinesias asked what is that? Hearld answered a Spartan walking stick which is a comical reply. In today’s society comedy can either be a skit or one-liners. The comedians can also have props to use for their comedy acts. Both in the Greek culture and now people like to taunt each other while joking around .

Greek culture relates to today’s society in some ways but not in other ways. Examples from the play “Lysistrata” were used to make that conclusion. Women in today’s society do not go on sex strikes to try and end a war. They can join the military and fight in battle with men. In the play, Greek women wanted to fight in the war, but the men wouldn’t let them fight. The women were to stay put in the house and take care of the children. In today’s society, men and women share the responsibility of taking care of the children and the home. Sometimes, there are men that stay home and the women work. In the Greek culture and today’s society, people taunt each other which can be funny.