Characters in Lysistrata

Her

Acheivements

Characters in Lysistrata

Lysistrata's biggest acheivement may be creating unison between Athens and Sparta by proposing the sex strike. However, it can be argued that it was not entirely her doing.

However...

Her own achievements

The Message Behind the Wool Analogy

• It was her idea of a sex strike that brought the two states together
• Is able to explain to the Maigstrate what her plan is using the wool analogy
• Manages to stay calm and get the men (incl. Magistrate) to listen to her throughout the play
• Showed the ridiculousness and futiliy of war
• Is able to unite the two states, offer a glimse of peace and a different perspective of the enemy
• The Spartans admit that they're in the wrong and agree to peace

• Without the other women to execute the sex strike, the unity between states would not have happened
• It was not what she said to the leaders of each state, but because of the deprivation and blackmail through lack of sex - they only agree to peace because Reconcilliation is onstage, naked
• The Magistrate threatened her which shows that he is not willing to take her seriously
• It is debatable as to whether Lysistrata managed to convince the young women to believe in her - they try to sneak off (don't have faith/don't want to commit to plan)

1. The city must be cleansed like a fleece by removing bad men like removing dirt:

• Men that stick together
• Those who collaborate to get eachother elected for office
• Or those in the oligarchy coup?

The scene that involves Cinesias and Myrrhine is possibly one of the funniest in the play (constant sexual innuendos, visual humour with the baby/Cinesias' wooden phallus) and would not have happened without Lysistrata's suggestion of the sex strike

2. Then all the good men should be gathered and put them in "a basket of goodwill" to avoid conspiracies. Good men being:

• Metics (immigrants)
• Friendly aliens (give them permission to live in Athens)
• Those who owe debts to the public treasury
• Colonies - Ionian Cities. HOWEVER not all of them (only loyal ones as revolts were frequent + widespread)

Messages Portrayed

A mixture of verbal and visual humour is used throughout in the form of sexual innuedos. Lysistrata does not understand these which separates her from the other women, thus reinforcing aspects of her reputation, e.g being serious + politically minded

3. Make elections more open to also avoid conspiracies

The use of vulgar humour throughout the play serves multiple purposes

Aristophanes also suggests changing the role of citizens by excluding selfish individuals and including loyal people

1. It is very accessible so the messages behind the humour reaches the widest audience possible

2. It highlights the ridiculousness of the war as a sex strike is a last resort

The main messages of the play are most explicit in the speech that Lysistrata gives to the Magistrate using the wool analogy. These include cleansing the city of bad men and making elections more open to avoid conspiracies.

Another important message that is portrayed is the ridiculousness of the war. This is portrayed though the use of varying types of humour, and the fact that the deprivation of sex is the reason the war is ended.

There is a significant lack of humour around Lysistrata's character - she is never the source of comedy, nor is she allowed to understand the constant innuendos that other characters make.

This means that both the audience and other characters take her seriously, and make peace as a result

Visual and vulgar are very closely linked - e.g the oversized, wooden phalli that both Athenian and Spartan men wear. They highlight the unity as they are "in the same condition"

Although there may be a lack of vulgar humour around Lysistrata, the audience may be more willing to listen to her arguments as this is a comey so there is an expectation of the surreal - yet another different form of humour

Humour

Humour plays a huge role in Lysistrata. It is present in different forms and portrays different characters in various ways.

Different types of humour also highlight the different messages that are portrayed throughout the play and allows the audience to understand them more easily.

Lysistrata

Relationship with Others

Lysistrata is the protagonist of the play, hence the title. It could be said that she is the catalyst of everything that happens as it is her idea of the sex strike that brings about the change in society's opinion. She enables the states of Athens and Sparta to unite and provides suggestions of ways to improve Greece as a whole.

Her name literally means "disbander of arms"

Other characters in the play offer differ views of Lysistrata's character, most of which are positive, however, not all of them.

Women's Perspective on saving Greece

Lysistrata to Magistrate:

"That's why we women got together and decided to unite and save Greece...You listen to us - and it'll be good advice we give... and we'll set you to rights" p161

Negative Relationships

Positive Relationships

Attitude to War

• The Spartans agree that she's noble and admit that they're in the wrong
• Stratyllis (Leader of Old Women) accepts her as a leader
• The Chorus admire her

• The Magistrate threatens her and almost doesn't let her argue her case
• It is questionable as to whether the young woman admire and accept her as they try to leave the Acropolis, and therefore ruin the strike

Positive/ Admiration

Chorus to Lysistrata when she exits the Acropolis:

"Hail, bravest of all women!" p185

An overriding theme throughout the entirety of the play is that, not only Athens, but the whole of Greece needs to be run differently, as explained through her wool analogy when talking to the Magistrate. She wants the men to understand what the war is like from a woman's perspective and the suffering they have to face.

There is also a sense of fatigue and boredom of the war. Like many of the other woman whose husbands were at war, Lysistrata is beginning to tire of never having him around and voices a selfish attitude towards the war.

Another aspect of her opinion of war would be that it is pointless, which is demonstrated by the sex strike - a ridiculous last attempt to end the war.

Fighting is pointless and solves nothing

Lysistrata says to the Magistrate:

"It's not crowbars we need, it's intelligence and common sense" p157

"Ah, but you shouldn't be at war" p160

Selfishness

"The fathers of your children - don't you miss them when they're away at war?" p145

Male

She is articulate, intelligent, and has an understanding and opinion on politics as a result. She also demonstrates leadership skills

Her

Representation

Calonice: "Something pretty flimsy... if it's so easy to toss about?"

Lysistrata: "Flimsy? Why Calonice, we women have the salvation of Greece on our hands" p142

"Un-feminine" but not necessarily male

In contrast to the other women, she does not understand sexual innuendo or allow herself to be sexualised which means she should be taken seriously because she is not a passive character

Lysistrata isn't a typical Greek woman - the play opens with her discussing politics with Calonice. She is represented as being numerous different things throughout the play, most of which would be admired by a modern audience, but not neccessarily by an audience of the time

Compassionate

She's not angry and violent, explains calmly that she only wants men to listen to women. She doesn't present herself as a threat so men are more inclined to listen to her

Lysistrata to the Magistrate:

"You listen to us - and it'll be good advice we'll give - listen to us and keep quiet, like you made us do" p161

Gentle

Gives a "woman's touch" to her argument by using the wool analogy to express her desire for harmony. She uses her female stereotype to appeal to men's sense of hierarchy in society - doesn't challenge the stereotype but provides a suggestion

Brave

She risks being beaten for standing up for herself, risks everything going wrong and a fight breaking out between states and invited Lampito (a barbarian) from Sparta into Athens

The scene in which Lysistrata talks to the Magistrate:

Magistrate: "Constable!... Take her and tie her hands behind her back"

Lysistrata: "By Artemis, if he so much as touches me, I'll teach him a lesson" p157