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The Preponderant Lysistrata - Online Term Paper

The Preponderant Lysistrata

What was comedy and entertainment like in 411 BC? According to J. F. Johnson, “Lysistrata was produced in 411 B.C. possibly at the Lenaea festival of Athens celebrated in the month roughly equivalent to January” (“Background,” page 1). In the ancient play Lysistrata by Aristophanes, the lead character Lysistrata proves that the men of Sparta and Athens characterize women’s roles and importance in an unjust way. Lysistrata proves women are just as capable as men are when it comes to ending a war, even though the women may do so in a deceitful and unpopular manner. Lysistrata believes the men need some “good sound common-sense” (page 712, line 422-3) to make a peace treaty to end the ...

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women, the men “walk around the city bent over like men lighting matches in a wind” (726, 1028-9). Lysistrata uses her knowledge to gain power over them by summoning all of the women together and calling for “a sex-strike against war” (701). This “sex-strike” puts the men in “a pretty high-strung condition” (727, 1102) and also puts them at the mercy of the women. Sex is the only commonality of any significance between the different groups of men; therefore, sex has to be the object or action to be boycotted to give control over the men to the women.
The second step in proving the women’s intelligence and superiority is the seizing of the Acropolis where the financial reserve for Athen’s war is kept. The men are “locked out of the Treasury by [the] women” (712, 414-5), whom feel the war is pointless and destructive to their families by the men staying away from home for long periods of time while at battle. The women are upset because they deserve the right “to be happy and enjoy ...

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The Preponderant Lysistrata. (2006, November 3). Retrieved January 10, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Preponderant-Lysistrata/55011

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 11/3/2006 10:51:36 PM
Category: Arts
Type: Free Paper
Words: 1195
Pages: 5

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