The play begins with Lysistrata alone throwing a tantrum. She is “positively ashamed to be a woman” (16) because the women she invited are “slyly asleep at home” (17). There are urgent “affairs of state and foreign policy” (18) yet “there’s not one woman [t]here” (16).
Lysistrata contrasts how if there was “a debauch in honor of Bacchos… traffic stops” (16) to the urgency of “fundamental business” (17). Everyone shows up for the fun, but no one wants to roll their sleeves up and do work. Lysistrata points out a flaw in women but wants to utilize their strengths. They have something men cannot resist.
Women in the Greek culture are suppressed, not able to realize their potential. When Lysistrata unveiled her plan “form an alliance and save the States of Greece!” (18), Kleonike responded “ Us? Be practical” (18). Women have been portrayed as the inferior sex; too weak to “even live up to male slanders!” (16). Her plan is progressive for her time period, which brings a lot of skeptic from Kleonike and other women who finally show up.
Lysistrata wants to apply their “only talent” (18) to their advantage. Kleonike uses the term sarcastically, however Lysistrata truly considers it an advantage. Her plan is to “abstain from sex” (25), by doing so men will go “absolutely man to love [them]” (27). Her platform is built of the idea that women’s job is to tend to men; then to get their “attention” (27) they must “abstain from sex” (25). If all the women of Greece execute Lysistrata’s plan, women’s purpose will no longer be “of the house” (17).
The reason Lysistrata calls for the women to "abstain from sex"(25), is to end the war. However, as Anna stated there is a deeper meaning to her proposal. If her plan helps make peace it will also allow the job of a woman to extend outside of the house. The stereotypical view of a woman will begin to change.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how you interpreted Lysistrata's call to action as a wake-up call to women as opposed to simply a novel way to fight in a war. Even when Kleonike calls women the "inferior sex,"(16) Lysistrata follows that by telling them that women are always good for at least one thing, and Lysistrata uses this thing to end the war. Ironically, Lysistrata uses the limitations placed on women to overpower the men.
ReplyDeleteThis really made me think of Othello when Iago says that women are only good for two things: sex and tending to their husbands needs. However in Lysistrata's case, she's using that to the women's advantage. She eventually persuades the other women to agree that withholding their best quality will turn the belligerent men back to peaceful husbands and dads. It was really good how you pointed out Lysistrata reminded the women of this. This will also empower them to become more superior as women altogether.
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