The Ending of Lysisrata

The chorus of old men sympathize with Cinesias, but it is not sympathy that he wants; he is now quite angry. Within moments a magistrate from Athens arrives and is joined by a herald from Sparta. Both are suffering from the women’s absence, as are men everywhere. The two agree that something must be done, and the herald returns to Sparta with instructions to return with someone who can arrange a truce. While everyone awaits the peace envoy, the women seek to soothe the men. When the ambassadors arrive, Lysistrata is sent for, and the negotiations begin. But when it appears that neither group can reach an agreement, the men are invited inside to feast. The men’s desire for their wives increases with the wine, and soon the treaty is signed, and both men and women leave for their homes. This ca

The role of Women in Lysistrata

Women were property, In Lysistrata "Something beautiful to own, to gaze upon, to fulfill your sexual needs and desires and to bear and raise your children in the appropriate cultural aspect". Except for sex and the family element, women really didn't have any redeeming social values. To even consider putting a woman into any position where she would be required to think, or to make decisions outside of the home was laughable. This is the root of their humor. In the opening scenes of the play, Lysistrata says "I'm furious with women and womankind. Don't all of our husbands say we are not to be relied upon... Don't they think we are such clever villains?" The women don't like the fact that the only power women have had over men from the dawn of time is to withhold from sex.

Women Challenges

The women challenge the masculine role in Lysistrata to preserve
the traditional way of life of the community. When the
women become challenged themselves, they take on the
masculine characteristics and attitudes and defeat the men
physically, mentally but most of all strategically. Proving
that neither side benefits from it, just that one side
loses more than the other side.

A glimpse of disobedience

one of the most ‘‘shocking’’ aspects of the women’s actions is their disobedience to men. When the men arrive with logs and the intention of burning out the women, they tell the audience that they are shocked that the women they have nourished have turned on the men. In short, the women of Athens are no longer obedient to the men of Athens. Also, the women are willing to trade insults and even to fight, if necessary. This behavior contradicts the expected demeanor of the women and shows their dedication to Lysistrata plan.

The Begeinning of Lysistrata

I find the beginning of Lysistrata quite humorous along with the rest of the play. The discussion of war, is not something that females in Greece are accustomed to. Lysistrata admits that if she had called for an orgy or festival for the god Dionysis, the women would have filled the streets with tambourines in tow. This line is quite amusing because it has a touch of sexual humor. The housebound woman that disgusts Lysistrata , is her next-door neighbor, Kleonike. As Kleonike sympathetically explains to Lysistrata, most of the women are probably off waking the maids or tending to children not really paying any attention to Lysistrata plan at all. Lysistrata is not only angered because the women won't discuss war and the peace of their country, but she is ashamed that the women won't stand up to the stereotypes and names that their husband's give them.

Can reform be a theme for Lysistrata

I believe in order to determine you must consider 2 points:
1. The significance of the fact that the women do not, at first, want to give up sex. They have to be persuaded to do this. So self sacrifice becomes an issue immediately. For example the 1st scene: Lysistrata has to work pretty hard to convince the ladies to join her.
2. The fact that Lysistrata tells the women to give in if the issue is pursued with violence is extremely important. So i really cant determine if this is an appropriate choice of themes

Lysistrata a feminist play?

Is Lysistrata a feminist play? I like to think so. Lysistrata is sort-of a feminist play. Obviously, the women control the men by withholding sex. However, at the end, the women go back to being meek little things and doing whatever their husbands tell them to do. But mainly i think its controlled by the women because the entire play is revolved around them as the problem solvers.