Aristophanes (446BC-386BC)

Aristophanes was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his 40 plays survive virtually complete. These, provide the only real examples of a genre of comic drama known as Old Comedy. Lysistrata is one of the few surviving plays written by Aristophanes. Originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC, it is a comic account of one woman's extraordinary mission to end The Peloponnesian War.

Old Comedy

Greek comedy of the 5th century B.C., performed at festivals of Dionysus. It was farcical and bawdy and it contained much social satire. It laughed harshly at most religious, political , and intellectual issues of its day.

Characters- Lysistrata

 Lysistrata is an Athenian woman who is sick and tired of war and the treatment of women in Athens. Lysistrata gathers the women of Sparta and Athens together to solve these social ills and finds success and power in her quest.

Characters- Myrrhine

Myrrhine would be the second strongest woman in Lysistrata. Myrrhine is able to seduce her husband, Kinesias, but she refuses sex with him just at the last minute.

Characters- Chorus of Old Men

The Chorus of Old Men is made up of twelve old men who teeter around Athens attempting to keep the women in line. Although, unsuccessful in their civic duties, the Chorus of Old Men strike up some fantastical misogynistic[mi-soj-uh-nis-tik] melodies and are a generally comedic element of the play.

Characters- Chorus of Old Women 

The Chorus of Old Women seizes and then protects the Acropolis from the Chorus of Old Men. The Chorus of Old Women, although frail, fights to the last with the men and finds victory in the end.

Characters- Commissioner of Public Safety

The Commissioner of Public Safety is apparently the head of security and law in Athens, but is completely overwhelmed by the women and ends up being dressed as a woman himself.

Characters- Kinesias

Kinesias is the first man to be affected by the sex strike and comes to the Acropolis, fully enflamed. The needy, desperate clown that Myrrhine calls her husband.

Characters- Peace

Peace, Lysistrata's handmaid, is the unclothed beauty of a woman whom Lysistrata displays and uses during her final plea for peace between Athens and Sparta. Terribly aroused and uncomfortable, the men quickly discuss the terms of a truce, all the while staring at Peace's body.

Plot

Lysistrata has planned a meeting between all of the women of Greece to discuss the plan to end the Peloponnesian War. Lysistrata plans to ask the women to refuse sex with their

husbands until a treaty for peace has been signed. Lysistrata has also made plans with the older women of Athens (the Chorus of Old Women) to seize the Acropolis later that day. The women from the various regions finally assemble and Lysistrata convinces them to swear an oath that they will withhold sex from their husbands until both sides sign a treaty of peace.

As the women sacrifice a bottle of wine to the Gods in celebration of their oath, they hear the sounds of the older women taking the Acropolis, the fortress that houses the treasury of Athens.

Plot

The Chorus of Men is first to appear on stage carrying wood and fire to the gates of the Acropolis. The men plan to smoke the women out of the Acropolis. The Chorus of Old Women also approaches the Acropolis, carrying jugs of water to put out the men's fires.

The Chorus of Old Women is victorious in the contest between the choruses and triumphantly pours the jugs of water over the heads of the men.

The Commissioner is surprised to find the women at the Acropolis and orders his policemen to arrest Lysistrata and the other women. The Commissioner takes the opportunity to tell the men of Athens that they have been too generous and allowed too much freedom with the women of the city.

Plot

As the policemen run off, the Commissioner and Lysistrata are left to argue about the Peloponnesian War. Lysistrata argues that the War is a concern for women especially and she adds her two cents as to how the city should be run, drawing an elaborate analogy to show that Athens should be structured as a woman would spin wool.

Lysistrata tells the Commissioner that war is a concern of women because women have sacrificed greatly for it—women have given their husbands and their sons to the effort. Lysistrata adds that it is now difficult for a woman to find a husband. The women mockingly dress the Commissioner as a woman.

Plot

The next day, the sex-strike begins to take effect on the men. Lysistrata spots Kinesias, husband of Myrrhine, approaching the Akropolis. Kinesias has a full erection and is desperate for his wife. Myrrhine refuses to have intercourse with Kinesias until peace exists between Athens and Sparta.

Kinesias tells Myrrhine that her child needs her, he needs her and he loves her and Myrrhine pretends to listen to his frustrated pleas. Myrrhine hints that she might make love to Kinesias, but delays by going repeatedly into the Akropolis to fetch things to make the couple comfortable.

As Kinesias promises to only think about a treaty of peace for Athens and Sparta, Myrrhine disappears into the Akropolis and leaves her husband in great pain.

Plot

A Spartan Herald approaches the Acropolis and he, like Kinesias, suffers an erection. The Spartan describes the desperate situation of his countrymen and pleads for a treaty. Delegations from both states then meet at the Acropolis to discuss peace. At this point, all of the men have full erections.

Lysistrata comes out of the Acropolis with her naked handmaid, Peace. While the men are fully distracted by Peace, Lysistrata lectures them on the need for reconciliation between the states of Greece.

Plot

Lysistrata reasons that because both Athens and Sparta are of a common heritage and because they have previously helped one another and owe a debt to one another, the two sides should not be fighting. Using Peace as a map of Greece, the Spartan and Athenian leaders decide land rights that will end the war.

After both sides agree, Lysistrata gives the women back to the men and a great celebration ensues. The play ends with a song sung in unison by the Chorus of Old Men and the Chorus of Old Women while everyone dances.

The End Thank You