As
the story of Lysistrata progresses,
the audience gets a better perception of the unique elements of the play. One
of the defining qualities about the play is based on the women who eventually
converge together at the discretion of Lysistrata. More specifically – their “unwomanly”
behavior, or lack of conventional manners.
With
no men around, the women really start to show their true colors. Lysistrata
herself leads in the raunchy dialogues by sexualizing women like Lampito for
her “blemishless complexion” (p. 21) as a tease to show her friendly kinship
with her. Kleonike – the perfect ‘bad best friend’ of Lysistrata – joins her in
the way any bad influence of a dear friend would and comments on Lampito’s “unbelievably
beautiful bosoms!” (p. 21). Lampito, who seems to be the dumb-but-loveable
companion, is genuinely flattered and happy to join along the naughty fun.
What
is more apparent, however, is the depth of the subject matter that the women
discuss. Aside from the playful hints and compliments, the ladies partake in …
rather sketchy discussion on their views about sex. At least for the supposed
level that they are expected to think – none. Lysistrata as the leader of the
girl’s group social finally suggests “total abstinence from SEX!” (p. 25), and
no sooner do all the women leave her in disagreement. Not only is this a hilarious
move by the playwright Aristophanes for showing women care about sex just as much
as men, it shows how they’d literally do anything besides “give up sex” since
there’s “nothing like it” (p. 26) as Kleonike puts it to back up Myrrhine. Sexual
overtones and lewdity are seen as taboo qualities for proper feminine women to
take, but Lysistrata and the rest of the women joyfully embrace these traits.
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