Sex and Politics in Lysistrata
Sex and Politics in Lysistrata Aristophanes, whom is a comedic writer, wrote Lysistrata during the Greek civil war. This unstoppable combat was between Athenians and Spartans, whom believed that the only way to prove anything was through war. The theme of Lysistrata revolves around gender, sex, and also politics. Its reasons for development were that if men were not able to fix the problems occurring, women would then take the initiative and do so. The women then came together and decided to withhold sexual pleasure from their husbands in order to expedite a negotiation to end the war. On the contrary to their principal motive, this act made by the women then resulted in a confrontation between the sexes interfering with the political and also social aspect of their lives. Lysistrata’s plan is to save and unite Greece and to do so, all the women invade Acropolis. Through the invasion they also seize control over the states treasury. The women state that since they manage their households’ money, they will also manage Acropolis’ money making sure that the men cannot fund their warfare until a peace treaty has been signed. The government in Greece has always been composed by the older men called the Greek Leaders. These men in my opinion, not only for being aged but also for holding such high political position, without a doubt should always be respected but that wasn’t necessarily the case in Lysistrata. Their political authority was lampooned in the play in more than one occasion. Women did acts such as soaking men with cold water and dressing them up. After Stratyllis finished having a confrontation with the Men’s Leader, she yelled, “Water, do your duty!,” as women then threw water over the men. Knowing that answer, Stratyllis then asks the men with a mocking concern if the water was too hot when in reality it was very cold. The men then plead to be let go off which is an example of how their political authority became a tease to the women knowing that in