To aspire to be anything beyond this was seen as irrational, lofty, ridiculous and mad. They were seen as nothing but caterers for their husbands’ sexual desires and a vessel to produce children. Women were mostly seen as the caretakers of their families and households. And in ancient times, it was difficult to do so when one was a woman. Women lost their husbands in the war, leaving them to fend for themselves. Men would leave their homes, never to return. The effects were felt in a myriad of ways. Lysistrata and the Peloponnesian WarĪristophanes lived at the time of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta-a war that lasted for ten years and devastated both cities. With a combination of farce, truth and brashness, he exposed the workings of ancient society. Most of Aristophanes’ works dealt with morals, ethics, politics and war. He followed the standard for Greek theatre, using it to address societal and political issues. But his works spoke for himself and his views. As a citizen of Athens, the playwright was known to rarely participate in politics.

His works tackled the everyday issues of ancient Greek society. Much of what is known about Aristophanes is speculated from his works. And as mentioned before, they serve as a wonderful window into the intricacies of society. Aristophanes and the ancient Greek SocietyĪnalysing any literary work will inevitably draw one to the context in which it was written. This blog examines the play itself, analyses how women tackled the issue of war and how the play is as relevant today as it was in ancient times. A combination of both farce and truth, the play gives us an insight into how ancient Greek society functioned and the role women played in it. Since the ancient period, Lysistrata has been performed countless times, with each version and each generation adding their own touches to it. Lysistrata is hilarious, controversial and thought-provoking all rolled into one. The play is significant for many reasons and still holds value in today’s society. Written to be performed in the 5 th century BCE, the play deals with gender issues and the impact of the Peloponnesian War on society, or more specifically, women. Lysistrata is one such work.įor those who love reading and picking out the nuances of ancient Greek plays, Aristophanes’ Lysistrata would be nothing new. It is through their works that we get an open window into the functioning of ancient society. Sexism, war, injustice, lofty rulers, gender-based issues, the hypocrisy of society – ancient Greek playwrights ridiculed them all through their works. While today’s technology enables one to do that at any given moment, ancient writers depended on their literary works to tackle socio-political issues. In the modern era, anyone and everyone can post their views on a particular subject through social media.

The lysistrata of aristophanes