does lysistrata have a husband

Is Myrrhine the strongest woman in Lysistrata?

If rank were imposed, 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.

How did Lysistrata convince the women to withhold sex from their husbands?

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.

Who is Lysistrata in the Iliad?

Character List 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.

What are Lysistrata's plans for the women of Athens?

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 Akropolis later that day.

Who was Lysistrata husband?

Lysistrata is not married, is seemingly less susceptible to erotic desire than the other Athenian women, and wisely works for Peace by masterfully manipulating the men around her.

What is Lysistrata summary?

It is the comic account of one woman's extraordinary mission to end the Peloponnesian War, as Lysistrata convinces the women of Greece to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands as a means of forcing the men to negotiate a peace. Some consider it his greatest work, and it is probably the most anthologized.

Who are the main characters in Lysistrata?

MyrrhineCaloniceLampitoStratyllisLysistrataCinesiasLysistrata/Characters

Is Lysistrata a true story?

No, Lysistrata is a work of fiction. However. the play deals with a real event, the Peloponnesian War. This war was still taking place when the play was first performed in 411 BC.

How did Lysistrata end?

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.

What is the main message in Lysistrata?

Lysistrata is a comedy written by Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. The central message, or theme, is feminism, which can be seen in Lysistrata's character. This determined woman comes up with a plan: women will withhold sex until they reach a peace agreement.

Is Lysistrata feminist play?

Lysistrata is a play of an early feminism movement because it empowered women, created future movements, and left a legacy of its own. In the play, the women of Greece united to determine the affairs of the Peloponnesian War that was ensuing.

Who is Myrrhina's husband in the play?

MacDowell suggests that Myrrhine's husband Kinesias is the same gawky and cadaverous poet who is mocked in Aristophanes's Birds.

Who is the antagonist of Lysistrata?

There are two antagonists in the play. One is men. Men are the ones who are waging war and men are the targets of the sex strike. The second antagonist is war itself.

What does word Lysistrata mean?

Lysistrata (/laɪˈsɪstrətə/ or /ˌlɪsəˈstrɑːtə/; Attic Greek: Λυσιστράτη, Lysistrátē, "Army Disbander") is an ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes, originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC.

What genre is Lysistrata?

ComedyDrama, Comedy First of all, Aristophanes' Lysistrata is a drama. We're not talking about drama in the sense that made-for-TV movies on serious topics like WWII or forensic science are dramas—Lysistrata is definitely not going to bum you out. We're talking about drama in the sense of drama class in high school.

Is Lysistrata a satire?

In Lysistrata, Aristophanes combines these two styles for the best of both worlds. Lysistrata is both acute political satire—the women of Greece are sick and tired of the ongoing Peloponnesian War—and filthy comedic mayhem—these women are so sick of the Peloponnesian War that they refuse to have sex with their hubbies.

What is the meaning of Lysistrata?

disbander of armiesThe strategy which Lysistrata – whose name literally means 'disbander of armies' – devises to end the war is intended as a comic jumping-off point; but the play also raises important questions concerning war, power, politics, and gender.

Is Lysistrata feminist play?

Lysistrata is a play of an early feminism movement because it empowered women, created future movements, and left a legacy of its own. In the play, the women of Greece united to determine the affairs of the Peloponnesian War that was ensuing.

Why is the setting of Lysistrata important?

By far the most important event of the day was the long war between Athens and Sparta, otherwise known as the Peloponnesian War. The play appeared at a time when the war was going especially badly for Athens, ever since its massive fleet got massacred in Sicily two years earlier. Ouch.

What type of play is Lysistrata?

Lysistrata was the third and final of the peace plays written by the great Greek comic playwright Aristophanes (c. 445 - c. 386 BCE). Shown in 411 BCE at the Lenaea festival in Athens, it was written during the final years of the war between Athens and Sparta.

Who is Lysistrata's friend?

These lines, spoken by the Athenian Lysistrata and her friend Calonice at the beginning of the play, set the scene for the action that follows. Women, as represented by Calonice , are sly hedonists in need of firm guidance and direction. Lysistrata, however, is an extraordinary woman with a large sense of individual and social responsibility.

What does Lysistrata do in the Acropolis?

Lysistrata restores order and she allows the magistrate to question her. She explains the frustrations that women feel at a time of war when the men make stupid decisions that affect everyone, and further complains that their wives' opinions are not listened to. She drapes her headdress over him, gives him a basket of wool and tells him that war will be a woman's business from now on. She then explains the pity she feels for young, childless women, ageing at home while the men are away on endless campaigns. When the magistrate points out that men also age, she reminds him that men can marry at any age whereas a woman has only a short time before she is considered too old. She then dresses the magistrate like a corpse for laying out, with a wreath and a fillet, and advises him that he's dead. Outraged at these indignities, he storms off to report the incident to his colleagues, while Lysistrata returns to the Acropolis.

What is the purpose of Lysistrata's oath?

It is a long and detailed oath, in which the women abjure all their sexual pleasures, including the Lioness on the Cheese Grater (a sexual position).

Where was Lysistrata 100 performed?

2004: A 100-person show called Lysistrata 100 was performed in Brooklyn, New York . Edward Einhorn wrote the adaptation, which was performed in a former warehouse converted to a pub. The play was set at the Dionysia, much as the original may have been.

When was Lysistrata set?

Setting. Before the Propylaea, or gateway to the Acropolis of Athens, 411 BC. Lysistrata ( / laɪˈsɪstrətə / or / ˌlɪsəˈstrɑːtə /; Attic Greek: Λυσιστράτη, Lysistrátē, "Army Disbander") is an ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes, originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC.

Is Lysistrata a feminist play?

Modern adaptations of Lysistrata are often feminist and/or pacifist in their aim (see Influence and legacy below). The original play was neither feminist nor unreservedly pacifist. Even when they seemed to demonstrate empathy with the female condition, dramatic poets in classical Athens still reinforced sexual stereotyping of women as irrational creatures in need of protection from themselves and from others.

Who is the Aristogeiton?

Aristogeiton: A famous tyrannicide, he is mentioned briefly here with approval by the Old Men. Cimon: An Athenian commander, mentioned here by Lysistrata in connection with the Spartan king Pericleides who had once requested and obtained Athenian help in putting down a revolt by helots.

What does Lysistrata do to the magistrate?

As convincing as they might sound, Lysistrata’s words fall on deaf ears. So, she and the second semichorus turn from words to deeds, soaking the magistrate with water and dressing him up like a corpse on a bier. He has no choice but to depart, shouting “insult” and promising to show himself to the other magistrates and rouse them to action. The victorious women can’t care less: they retire into the Acropolis, satisfied and full of revolutionary zeal.

What is the principal image of Lysistrata?

Some of the names of the characters are probably meant as double entendres, and the principal image of the comedy is the erect male phallus, little used in other plays by Aristophanes but worn by almost all male characters in Lysistrata.

What is the name of the play Aristophanes produced in 411 BC?

In the former, Lysistrata resembles the other play Aristophanes produced in 411 BC, Women at the Thesmophoria, and the penultimate of his surviving comedies, Assemblywomen; in the latter, it is the third and last of Aristophanes’ peace plays, coming after The Acharnians and Peace. Unsurprisingly, Lysistrata is dominated by sexual imagery.

What does Lysistrata say about the Spartans and Athenians?

During the peace talks, Lysistrata reminds the Spartans and the Athenians that they have a past history of cooperation and advises them to remain friends forevermore.

What does the leader of the female semichorus say about the leopard?

As soon as they leave, the old men of the first semichorus concur defeat: “No wild beast is there, no flame of fire, more fierce and untamable than woman; the leopard is less savage and shameless.” “And yet you dare to make war upon me,” replies the leader of the female semichorus, “when you might have me for your most faithful friend and ally.” This is not merely a declaration, but an invitation: soon after, the old women start kissing the old men and the two semichoruses merge, anticipating the inevitable happy end.

When was Lysistrata written?

First performed in 411 BC (probably) at the Lenaea, Lysistrata is one of Aristophanes’ best-known comedies, primarily because of its modern adaptations as a feminist play. Written just two years after the disastrous failure of the Sicilian Expedition, the play follows an interesting attempt of the Athenian women ...

What dialect is Lysistrata in?

Related to this issue is the fact that our script of the play contains large portions of text spoken or sung in Spartan dialect (or, more precisely, Aristophanes’ representation of it), making Lysistrata, together with the archaic poet Alcman, the main literary source for this dialect otherwise only known from inscriptions.”.

What did Lysistrata do to the women of Athens?

Lysistrata has also made plans with the older women of Athens (the Chorus of Old Women) to seize the Akropolis 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.

Why did Lysistrata plan a meeting with the women of Greece?

Lysistrata has planned a meeting between all of the women of Greece to discuss the plan to end the Peloponnesian War. As Lysistrata waits for the women of Sparta, Thebes, and other areas to meet her she curses the weakness of women. Lysistrata plans to ask the women to refuse sex with their husbands until a treaty for peace has been signed.

Why should Sparta and Athens not fight?

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.

How many choruses are there in Lysistrata?

In Lysistrata there are two choruses—the Chorus of Old Men and the Chorus of Old Women. A Koryphaios leads both choruses. The Chorus of Men is first to appear on stage carrying wood and fire to the gates of the Akropolis.

Why does Lysistrata tell the Commissioner that war is a concern of women?

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.

Who does Lysistrata spot in the Akropolis?

Lysistrata spots Kinesias, husband of Myrrhine, approaching the Akropolis.

What does the Spartan Herald say about the Akropolis?

The Spartan describes the desperate situation of his countrymen and pleads for a treaty. Delegations from both states then meet at the Akropolis to discuss peace. At this point, all of the men have full erections.

Where did Lysistrata organize the sex strike?

A grand, intelligent, alluring woman, Lysistrata organizes a sex strike not only in her hometown of Athens but in Sparta as well, all in the hope that the men of Greece might peacefully end the… read analysis of Lysistrata.

Who was the first woman to support Lysistrata's plot for peace?

A brawny representative Spartan, Lampito is the first woman to support Lysistrata ’s plot for peace. While the Athenian women seize the Acropolis, Lampito returns to Sparta to organize a sex strike of her… read analysis of Lampito.

Who is the Corinthian girl?

The Corinthian girl. Like Ismenia, the huge Corinthian girl accompanies Lampito to Lysistrata ’s summons, and remains in Athens as a warmly welcome hostage until Athens and Sparta make peace. The Corinthian girl is distinguished by the… read analysis of The Corinthian girl.

Who is Myrrhine's husband?

Kinesias. Kinesias is an Athenian citizen, Myrrhine ’s husband, and the father of her baby boy. He approaches the Acropolis afflicted by a nasty attack of love (read: a painful erection) and attempts to seduce his… read analysis of Kinesias.

Who is the first to respond to Lysistrata's summons?

The fun-loving Athenian woman Kleonike is the first to respond to her neighbor Lysistrata ’s summons at the beginning of the play. However, Kleonike conforms more to Athenian gender stereotypes than her neighbor does. She… read analysis of Kleonike

Who is the female Koryphaios?

The Female Koryphaios. The leader and spokesperson of the Chorus of Old Women. The spry Female Koryphaios gives and takes jabs and kicks from her male counterpart during the conflict at the Acropolis, but at the end of the play, the two Choruses are reconciled and unite as one.

What does the Spartan herald do at the end of the play?

Toward the end of the play, the Spartan herald enters, bearing a message of Peace from his people. He also bears a painful erection that he desperately but unsuccessfully attempts to hide under his cloak.

What does Lysistrata suggest about women?

Indeed, Lysistrata suggests that women’s domestic work cultivates in them a common sense that men tend to problematically lack, particularly in the world of the play, where the male characters are presented as hopelessly inept.

Who is Lysistrata modeled after?

Consequently, the grand, intelligent, and alluring Lysistrata—whose character, scholars argue, Aristophanes modeled after both a contemporary priestess of Athena named Lysimache as well as the figure of the courtesan—arrives at the conclusion that a reversal of gender roles is necessary if Athens is to be at peace.

What is gender role in Lysistrata?

Gender Roles. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lysistrata , which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Though Athens was a democracy, male citizens held all of the political power, and women enjoyed relatively few rights and privileges. Athenian women could not hold political office, for example, ...

What are the stereotypes of Lysistrata?

On the one hand, the women in the play, other than Lysistrata herself, tend to be stereotypes: superficial, flighty, and coy. Even they themselves are skeptical about their power to effect peace in Greece: women are lazy, they say, unwise, and talented only in glamorously painting their faces and primping.

Was Lysistrata written by a man?

Moreover, scholars are not in agreement as to whether or not women in Classical Athens would have attended dramatic festivals at all— Lysistrata may well be a play written by a man, performed by men, and performed for men alone. Get the entire Lysistrata LitChart as a printable PDF.

Did Athenian women have political office?

Athenian women could not hold political office, for example, or participate in democratic elections, votes, or debates, nor could they serve on juries or bring lawsuits. Furthermore, the economic activity of Athenian women was also limited (although they did budget the household accounts, as Lysistrata says), and so was their freedom of movement. ...

Is Lysistrata a feminist?

Still, Aristophanes is no feminist, and Lysistrata is no proto-feminist tract. The women take control only to restore their men to sanity, after which, the play suggests, the men will and should once again pilot the ship of state.

What does Lysistrata say about state affairs?

He asserts that state affairs and the conduct of war are no business of women, to which Lysistrata respond s with an extended comparison between her plan for saving Greece and the domestic art of weaving. The Magistrate replies: “It takes a woman to reduce state questions to a matter of carding and weaving.”.

What is Lysistrata famous for?

With its perennially relevant antiwar and gender themes, Lysistrata speaks to modern audiences more forcefully than any other of the playwright’s remark-able comedies, making it one of the most frequently produced Greek dramas and the most famous of Aristophanes’ plays. If Aristophanes cannot be credited with the actual invention of stage comedy, he is the earliest practitioner whose plays have survived intact. Aristophanes provides us with our only surviving examples of Greek Old Comedy, the raucous, profane, and intellectually daring dramatic form that, along with choral tragedy, was the great achievement of Attic drama during the fifth century b.c.

How many plays did Aristophanes write?

We know very little about Aristophanes’ life and personality, but a great deal about his times as reflected in his plays (11 of his more than 40 works have survived). A native Athenian, Aristophanes was a political and intellectual gadfly whose dramas offer some of the best reflections of the period’s controversies and preoccupations. It is said that when Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse, wanted to learn about the people and the institutions of Athens, Plato advised him to consult the comedies of Aristophanes. He was born around 450 b.c., in the years when Pericles was initiating the reforms that created the golden age of Athenian democracy and lived through the period of Athens’s growth as an empire and as a center of extraordinary intellectual and cultural achievement. Nine of his surviving plays, however, reflect the tragic consequences of the punishing Peloponnesian War with Sparta, which was waged from 431 to 404 and culminated in Athens’s defeat and rapid decline. When Aristophanes died in 385 b.c., the last surviving great fifth-century playwright, his passing ended a century of unparalleled dramatic accomplishment. His final years, however, were spent in a very different milieu from his heyday as a dramatist, one hostile to the freewheeling, nothing-is-sacred tolerance upon which his great comedies depended. The Old Comedy of Aristophanes would be replaced by the more sedate New Comedy of the fourth century, a more prosaic, less outrageous and fantastical comedy of manners. As written most notably by Menander, and adapted by the Roman dramatists Plautus and Terence, the New Comedy with its stock characters and situations formed the main tributary for Western comic drama. Aristophanes’ comedy, however, should be regarded as more than a dead end and a cultural curiosity. His plays as a form established the bedrock of comedy’s greatest resources by offering a serious reflection of the world while encouraging our ability to laugh at its absurdity, excesses, and pretensions. Aristophanes’ dramas have remained a rich comic inspiration and influence, to be reworked and refashioned through the centuries. Echoes of his inventiveness and comic methods are readily found in the epic theater of Bertolt Brecht, the absurdist, existential dramas of Samuel Beckett, and the intellectual high jinks of Tom Stoppard. If later comic drama is less exuberant and more predictable than Aristophanes’ plays, the essential elements in his works—irreverence, a mix of serious themes and low comic farce, a celebration of human nature’s foibles and vitality, and an exhilarating liberation from repression and pretensions in their many guises—established comedy’s core ethos and strategies.

What is the only extant Greek comedy in which women take center stage and control the action?

Aristophanes mounts his case in Lysistrata through paradox and inversion. It is the only extant ancient Greek comedy in which women take center stage and control the action.

How does Lysistrata start her rebellion?

To start her rebellion Lysistrata must first get her sisters to assemble on time and then convince them to abstain from sex themselves. This proves to be no mean feat, and Aristophanes’ play opens with confirmation of comic female stereotypes in the women’s triviality, deceitfulness, drunkenness, and licentiousness.

Why does Lysistrata summon women?

As the play opens Lysistrata summons females from across Greece to present her radical notion. Women simply convening an assembly before the sacred gates of the Acropolis would have struck Aristophanes’ first audience as unthinkable and as an outrageous violation of accepted standards.

What does the Magistrate say about women?

The Magistrate replies: “It takes a woman to reduce state questions to a matter of carding and weaving.”. Lysistrata powerfully responds to his charge of women’s irrelevance by pointedly observing that women have the most to lose from a mismanaged state that leaves them widowed and unmarried.

Overview

Plot

LYSISTRATA There are a lot of things about us women That sadden me, considering how men See us as rascals. CALONICE As indeed we are!
These lines, spoken by the Athenian Lysistrata and her friend Calonice at the beginning of the play, set the scene for the action that follows. Women, as represented by Calonice, are sly hedonists in need of firm guidance and direction. Lysistrata, however, is an extraordinary woma…

Historical background

Interpretation

Old Comedy

Influence and legacy

English translations

See also