FREE ESSAY ON LYSISTRATA

LYSISTRATA

Lysistrata is a play written in 411 BC by Aristophanes. At that time in Greek history, the
city-states were constantly warring with one another. Consequently, the women were left
at home. One woman, Lysistrata, was so fed up with the fighting that she called all of
the women of Greece to a meeting. When they finally showed up, Lysistrata presented her
plan for peace: no sex until the wars ceased. She eventually convinced all of the other
women that this was the only way to bring peace to the land. The men were miserable and
ultimately they negotiated a treaty to stop the hostilities. This play has its merits and
its downfalls. As a whole, however, it is well written, humorous, and most importantly,
it has a purpose. On first glance, the play seems to be no more than a simple, comical
story. Aristophanes wrote the play not only to entertain, but also to make a stand
against warfare. He believed that war was an abnormal state of affairs. At the opening of
the play, Lysistrata has called a meeting of all the women and is impatiently waiting for
them. She says that she has spent long, sleepless nights agonizing over the solution to
the wars. She tells Kalonike, Only we women can save Greece! As the rest of the women
arrive, she informs them of her plan. The women are resistant to the idea of no sex at
first. They then realize that what Lysistrata says is true. The women take an oath and
swear to one another that they will have nothing to do with their husbands until the wars
cease. Aristophanes' use of women as the peacemakers shows the natural role of women as
nurturers. He is displaying how life should be, without war. In times of peace, men are
working at home alongside their wives. When war comes about, women are left to do all the
work, domestic and otherwise. This upsets the balance of daily life. Aristophanes is
urging his fellow Greeks to restore peace and therefore life as they once knew it. As the
play progresses, the men are in extreme pain and agony from the withholding of sexual
activities. They come to the conclusion, grudgingly, that the women are indeed correct.
To renew Greece, the fighting must end. And they are the ones with whom it has to begin.
The men arrange a treaty and then celebrate with the others, Athenian and Spartan alike.
But, as I can imagine, all, women and men, are anxious to get home. With this play,
Aristophanes' goal was to tell an amusing story and also to spur his countrymen to
resolve their differences for the sake of Greece and Greek life. We now know that they
did not heed Aristophanes warnings. The Golden Age of Greece did come to an end, mostly
because of the extreme pride and arrogance of the individual city-states. Aristophanes
did his best to convince them, but such is the sage advice: it often goes unheeded, much
to the dismay of all concerned.