Lysistrata

I could see this play facing potential staging and production issues as it paints a vivid picture of sexual lust. Obviously, this is an adult play that is not intended for a general audience, however, there is still much that should be left to the imagination of the audience members. This provides the director, producer, and members of the cast opportunities to be creative and use prop symbolism, the same way much of the script offers a double-meaning. Although in ancient Greece, I’m not so sure modesty ranked high on their priority list.

One way that Aristophanes chose to appeal to the audience was to develop the character of Lysistrata. She was a multi-dimensional character who had strong convictions opposed to the culture of Athens. That is an interesting illustration as it shows that this generation does not fall far from the tree that is 411 BCE. Today there are still times I hear people discuss the overall lack of writers developing strong female roles in regards to movies. Lysistrata was the one brave soul who was willing to stand up against the status quo, and talk about how disappointed she was in the women who were rolling over and playing into the hands of the men of that era. She was not willing to accept a world where women were treated as though they were mere “children” who are not allowed to sit at the “adult table”.

As I read this play, I could not help but think that it was written by someone who grew up whispering inappropriate jokes to his friends. Aristophanes is clearly intelligent and a clever writer. He was able to take a relevant and serious political topic, like the increasing number of anti-war groups in Athens, and creatively express it through comedy. Aristophanes did a great job of illustrating his art; as the scene between Myrrhine and her husband Kinesias painted a clear picture of the effects that the anti-war group was having on the men and the women. As the play is formatted through ancient Greece, there are parts of the play that were difficult for me to fully understand.

I know that the Chorus often represents the narrator, or the overall consensus of the audience; however, the poems they tell can be quite difficult for me to grasp. Does anyone else feel that way; or do I need to work on my poetry interpretation and brush up on my Greek mythology? Another part that left me with questions was the scene between the Sentry and the Citizen. The Citizen approaches the Sentry and is halted? I was not able to understand the significance of this scene. Does anyone have insight as to what the scene meant to the play?