The army
of men and the army of women march onward to fulfill the task they have
presented before themselves. The men march to win the war and the women march
to abstain from sex and bring the men to a peaceful resolution. Lysistrata and
her army of estrogen make an oath to keep hold of their promise of abstinence.
After the glasses clink and the women embrace their empowerment, the scene
switches over to the male perspective. Amongst the Koryphaios of men, they
begin to chatter about women and their ability to cause “national disasters” (36).
In this particular scene, the men act as if the women work against the gods and
make things unmanageable and impossibly difficult for them. This mere statement
plays a huge role in the play because it illustrates the group of men’s true
mindset on women and their unfaithfulness in them. The women however are
working to bring peace and not to bring sacrifice and hardships.
The women have come together to try to
stop a major war, they have devised a plan and have made an oath to stick by
it. At the hand of Lysistrata, the group of women are willing to try to bring
peace back to the city, yet the men continue to see them as problem
seekers. When the men encounter a
koryphaios of women they snicker at the alliance “oops. female troops, this
could be upsetting” (42). The men continue to put down the women and placing them
in an area of inferiority “a bunch of weak-bladdered brats” (46). The men
believe the women to be weak, pathetic “combustion of lust” (45).
In both instances, the men have made
ironic statements that go against what the women’s true intentions are. Proving
their arrogant belittlement of women.
Lysistrata is filled with ironies and counter attacks. The structure of the play, switching from the women's to the men's perspectives, helps the audience to perceive what values each group holds. It is very obvious that the men are desiring attention from their significant others, but it is ironic that when faced with the opposite sex they belittle them.
ReplyDeleteLysistrata's women are in fact ironically stirring up discomfort in the men in order to settle down the rest of Athens. I think that this irony represents the lack of voice women have; they have to torment the men in order to get what they want. If men wanted to stop women from doing something they do not need an elaborate scheme because they believe what they say goes. However, when women want something they have to exert much more energy.
ReplyDeleteThe constant flip of viewpoint from the men and women are mainly done so through the chorus. The chorus acts as a way to mediate what both sides feel about a touchy subject. I agree with Moriah that the plotline is very ironic because although the men do not respect what the women believe, they cherish their bodies and sexual relations. This irony helps make the play a Greek Comedy.
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