Aristophanes’ Comedy Lysistrata
Aristophanes comically brings the role played by women in liberation struggle by an outstanding character by the name Lysistrata. Lysistrata with support from Lampito succeeds in persuading fellow women to withhold from sexual engagement with their men as a way of forcing them to end the Peloponnesian War. At first the women seemed reluctant but ultimately sealed a deal with an oath around a bowl of wine with Lysistrata administering it and Calonice repeating the words on behalf of her fellow women. The oath is very detailed and the women swore to abstain from sexual activities, including. The end of administration of the oath is characterized by a cry of triumph which is heard from Acropolis.
A major success to the women in rejecting the war is boosted by their control of the state treasury and their evident unity in not approving funds for the ever unending war. This is shown by Lampito going out to spread revolt and other women following suit by retreating behind their locked gates in waiting for the response from men.
Men’s response and their ever display of domineering character is shown by their insistence to put the Acropolis gate on fire if the women failed to open. An encounter of supremacy is symbolized by old men carrying heavy timbers accosted by older women carrying water. The Old Women showed their support of the younger ones by complaining of the difficulties in fetching the water but have an ever ending zeal to fight in support of their comrades. The partisan judicial system is illustrated by the magistrate arriving with an escort of Scythian archers and having a mockery of women on how they adore wine, their promiscuity and adherence to foreign cults and above all shifts his blame to the men for being unable to fully supervise their women.
The condemnation of senseless war is heightened when the women refused to honour authority by refusing to let in the magistrate to collect funds. The changing role of women is shown by Lysistrata restoring order and allowing the magistrate to have an audience with her. She then narrated to him the kind of gender frustrations women undergo during war when decisions that are considered stupid are made by men and they don’t allow opinions of their wives. The assertive dimension and dynamism of women clearly presents itself when Lysistrata puts her headdress over the magistrate and telling him forthright that the war henceforth is a woman’s affair. A sense of belonging and display of humane comes to the fore when Lysistrata explained the agony she had for childless women who do age at home having no men as most of the abled men are on worthless mission of war. A case arises as the magistrate mentioned that even men age but was quickly shut down by Lysistrata reminds him that it is men who do not age and can marry at any time.
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