Aristophanes 'Lysistrata And Euripides' Medea

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Introduction Literature can be used in society in order to reinforce or challenge social attitudes, as well as to tech people in the society, or even torment people. Reinforcement of social and cultural attitudes can happen without leaders realizing so. The two texts Aristophanes’ Lysistrata and Euripides’ Medea do that. Aristophanes’ Lysistrata and Euripides’ Medea help to reinforce Ancient Greek attitudes, ideologies, taboos, morals, etc. Aristophanes’ Lysistrata Aristophanes’ Lysistrata details one woman’s mission to try and end the Peloponnesian War. Lysistrata, was a strong Athenian woman who convinced the women of Greece to withhold sex from their husbands, and by doing so Lysistrata believes this will force the men to sign a treaty of peace and end the war. Lysistrata reveals her plan to take matters in her own hands and to end the war between Sparta and Athens (Johnston; ARISTOPHANES LYSISTRATA). Lysistrata arranged an assembly meeting of the women from the different cities of Greece, and explains to them her plan to …show more content…

To me this text really helps to concentrate on women and the power they have or do not have in society. Lysistrata was the leader of the movement of exercising one of the few powers they had, withholding sex from their husbands. It also shows how men in society did not want women to have any political or economic power, when they took over the Acropolis, a group of men came and wanted to smoke them out. Also, this almost reversed the roles of men and women in the ancient Greek society, normally men have to power and can do what they want, but with Lysistrata’s ban men had very little power and were basically forced by the women to end the war. Overall, this text shows how women in a way fought for power in order to end a war that was affecting them because of their husbands and sons being in the war (Johnston; ARISTOPHANES

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