Comparing 'Oedipus And Lysistrata'

When first examining the Greek plays Oedipus and Lysistrata, the first comparison we could make is that each of them are the main characters in their respective plays. The plays however are very different in context, with Oedipus being a tragedy, and Lysistrata being a comedy. Oedipus and Lysistrata are both revered as very high ranking people in their respective times. As Oedipus is a king, and Lysistrata helps lead the rebellion of the Greek women from the men who wish to have sex with them, which helps her gain not only the respect of the women, but also from the Greek men who they are rebelling from.
A Greek tragedy is defined as “a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially

as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances” (The Free Dictionary). Oedipus fits into this category because Oedipus is a beloved king whose downfall leads to his own death, as well as the downfall of Thebes, where he is king. In the beginning of Oedipus the King, Oedipus seeks a prophet to help him solve the mysterious death of Laius, his own father. The prophet Tiresias comes to Thebes and warns Oedipus of a horrible destiny which he is headed towards. Oedipus scoffs at Tiresias’s claims, which later leads to the prophecy coming true leading Oedipus to kill his own father, and marry his mother.
Lysistrata is a much more light-hearted play than Oedipus. Lysistrata is labeled as an ancient Greek comedy and for good reason. Lysistrata calls a meeting for all women of Greece and proposes a plan to help end the Peloponnesian War. The plan requires the women of Greece to abstain from having sex with the Greek men until the war has concluded. The women agree, and the plan is in full effect. The Greek men become so sex-deprived that they contemplate calling an end to the war just so they may have sex with their women again. In the end, Lysistrata’s plan works and the two sides make peace and end the war. The women are returned to the men and great joy amongst the nation of Greece ensues. This story pushes across that men are willing to do anything for sex by showing them ending the war just so they may have sex with the women again.
I believe of these two plays, Lysistrata would be received better by a modern audience, because the storyline is amusing and it fits the modern definition of a comedy as well. Oedipus might not be received as well by an audience due to the inhumane aspects of it, such as Oedipus killing his father and marrying his mother. While some people in today’s society might find the plot in Oedipus to be fascinating, ancient Greek culture seems to have perceived the same things as funny as an average person in today’s society would, which makes Lysistrata an easy choice to be received better by a modern audience. Oedipus and Lysistrata are both very well-written plays with diverse plots. The stories of both capture the attention of the reader and express the storylines in a way that also keeps the reader’s attention throughout.