1

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN COMMUNAL PEACE RESOLUTION:

A CASE STUDY OF ARISTOPHANES’ LYSISTRATA

BY

Chioma Christiana ACHOR (Miss)

ART 0900221

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LITERATURE

FACULTY OF ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
BENIN CITY

FEBRUARY, 2014
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THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN COMMUNAL PEACE RESOLUTION:

A CASE STUDY OF ARISTOPHANES’ LYSISTRATA

BY

Chioma Christiana ACHOR (Miss)

ART 0900221

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LITERATURE

FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH AND LITERATURE

FEBRUARY, 2014
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CERTIFICATION

I certify that this study was carried out by Chioma Christiana ACHOR in the

Department of English and Literature, University of Benin, Benin City under

my supervision.

______________________________ ______________________
MRS. E.I. JAMGBADI DATE
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DEDICATION

To the hand that holds the strings,

… to the blood that sustain,

… to the constants sun,

…to knowledge, and

… to the sky that

Will always

Remain BLUE
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My utmost thanks goes to the Almighty God for seeing me through this
programme, for his abundant grace and mercies.

My sincere appreciation goes to my wonderful understanding, helpful

and motherly supervisor, Mrs. E.I. Jamgbadi, whose patience, advice and
encouragement helped me to complete this project.

I also appreciate my irreplaceable parents, Mr and Mrs Achor for their

priceless love and support, for the great impact they made in my life by giving
me education, good moral upbringing for their financial support throughout the
phases of my education and the actualisation of my dream.

I also wish to thank Mr. and Mrs Ihemenandu for their moral and
financial support.

My profound appreciation also goes to all the lecturers in the Department

of English and Literature for all contributions and effort towards making me a
fine finished product, thank you all!

I also appreciate my wonderful and supportive siblings; Mrs Kachi

Iheme, Mr Emeka, Mr Obinna, Mr Amarachukwu and my niece Chisom for
their love, financial support, encouragement and prayers, God bless you all.

Finally, I specially thank my wonderful friends, classmates who have

contributed in one way or the other to my happy stay in the University of Benin.
Worth mentioning are Blessing Obende, Kateh, Felix, Jolly, Tina, and the entire
P.O.P.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page - - - - - - - - - ii
Certification - - - - - - - - - iii
Dedication - - - - - - - - - iv
Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - v
Table of Content - - - - - - - - vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose of Study - - - - - - - 1
1.2 Scope of Study - - - - - - - - 1
1.3 Methodology - - - - - - - 2
1.4 The Life and Works of Aristophanes - - - - 2
1.5 Review of Related Scholarship - - - - - 3
1.6 Thesis Statement - - - - - - - 6

CHAPTER TWO: GENDER ANALYSIS: FEMINISM AND

DISCRIMINATION
2.1 Introduction to the Concept of Feminism - - - - 7
2.2 Male Dominance - - - - - - - 8
2.3 Parental Attitude towards Male and Female Children - - 11
2.4 Societal Attitude towards Females - - - - - 13
2.5 Discrimination as it Affects Women - - - - - 15
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CHAPTER THREE: ROLE OF WOMEN IN REBELLION AND

PEACE RESOLUTION
3.1 Women and Rebellion - - - - - - 18
3.2 Rebellion: As a Tool for Feminine Identity - - - - 20
3.3 Rebellion: As A Means To Draw Attention - - - 22
3.4 Rebellion: As a Means to Achieve Goals - - - - 12
3.5 Rebellion: As a Tool for Peace Resolution - - - 25

CHAPTER FOUR: LITERARY DEVICES USED IN LYSISTRATA

4.1 Satire as a Literary Device in Lysistrata - - - - 29
4.2 Irony as a Literary Device - - - - - - 30
4.3 Farce as a Literary Device - - - - - - 31
4.4 Suspense as a Literary Device - - - - - 32
4.5 Chorus as a Literary Device - - - - - 33
4.6 Hyperbole as a Literary Device - - - - - 34

CHAPTER FIVE
Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 35
Works Cited - - - - - - - - - 36
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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose of Study

Aristophanes’ Lysistrata is a play regarded as old comedy, but more than

the comedy aspect is the relevance of women in any given society. This study

therefore aims at exposing the ‘underdog’ role of women, and how the women

of Sparta became tired of being taken for granted by the men who think them

incapable of meaningful thoughts and actions. The purpose of this study

however, is to show how Sparta and Athens benefitted from the “powerless”

women who displayed tremendous strength in restoring peace.

1.2 Scope of Study

Lysistrata is a play that depicts women coming together in rebellion, in

other to resolve a war. The study however, will go further to analyse this issue

from the angle of Gender analysis, discrimination/feminism and also Rebellion,

all aiming at how these factors are used as tools by women to bring about peace

and sanity in their society.

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1.3 Methodology

The method used in getting resources for this study is through the

library, the Internet, Dictionaries and also citing from people who wrote on

similar topics, and from the main text (Lysistrata)

1.4 The Life and Works of Aristophanes

Aristophanes was born in Ca. 446BC-Ca. 386 BC, he was alive from the

year 427BC-386 BC. He was known as a playwright and director of old

comedy.

Aristophanes was the son of Philippus of the Deme Cydathenaus, he was

a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven (11) of his forty (40) plays

survived virtually complete. These together with fragments of some of his other

plays provides the only real example of a genre of comic drama known as old

comedy and they are used to define the genre. Aristophanes was also known as

the “father of comedy” and “prince of Ancient comedy”, Aristophanes has been

said to create the life of ancient Athens more convincingly than any other

Author.

Some of His notable work include; The Acharnian (425BC), The Knight

(424 BC), The Clouds (423 BC), The wasps (422 BC), Peace (421 BC), The
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Birds (414 BC), Lysistrata (411 BC), Thesmophoriazuae (411 BC), The Frogs

(405 BC), Ecclesiazusae (C. 392 BC), Wealth II (388 BC).

His power of ridicule was feared and acknowledged by influential

contemporaries; Plato singled out Aristophanes; play, The Clouds as slander,

contributing to the trial and execution of Socrates. Although other satirical

playwrights had also caricatured the philosopher.

1.5 Review of Related Scholarship

The book Lysistrata is a drama of the genre of comic drama known as

old comedy. Aristophanes, the propounder of this genre was known as the

father of comedy and prince of Ancient comedy. He was also the director of old

comedy. Some scholars however, choose to classify Lysistrata as satire where

as, some see it as comedy.

A brief etymology of comedy states that the word ‘comedy’ is derived

from the classical Greek, komoidia, which is a compound either of komos

(revel) or k me (village) and oid (singing), it is possible that komos itself is

derived from k me and originally meant ‘a village revel’. Comedy is a type of

drama in which characters experience reversal of fortune (Lysistrata: women

held sway in the society, seized treasury and stopped the war instead of the
 11

men) usually for the better (the reversal of fortune brought peace and harmony

back to Greece). In comedy, things work out happily in the end.

According to the review on Lysistrata from focus classical library (paper

back), on this review, comment that “this book (Lysistrata), gives you the sense

on how women were treated and how they made themselves stand out and be

heard, using special tactics to stop the war between the Athenians and the

Trogans. Although they say that women are the weaker sex, the men are weaker

without sex”. With this first observation or commentary, we are given a glimpse

at what Lysistrata as a book entails, this being from the sexual angle which the

women whealds as a very potent tool to restore peace.

Through this book, how Aristophanes projects his love for the women

folks is made evident, he loves the women to rise in power which in another of

his book Assembly Women is more pronounced.

A common try on this book made by Erin Moodies says “Aristophanes; love for

women rising in power as seen in his book Assembly Women. The author

focuses on the female characters’ addressing of the audience following their rise

to power which differs from other plays by Aristophanes” (257). This again is
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another work by Aristophanes written about the agitation of women to bring

betterment to the womenfolk and the society at large.

Jesse Lee in her work titled, Lysistrata: Feminist or War Comic?

Speculates if “…this book is more of a war comedy rather than the feminist cry

that most scholars readily group the work into”. Lee further examined that

Lysistrata, with the help of the women of Corinth, Sparta and Boestia, is

determined to end war and bring peace albeit, though sex (her tool of rebellion

and resolution), she convinces them that the best way to obtain peace would be

to withhold sex from their husbands.

Another attempt at this theory on war and comedy in Lysistrata is from

Melvin Maddocks who says “…the use of comedy to ridicule war is popular as

the feminist comedy” (29).

Many of the scholars talks about the suffrage of women from time

immemorial, from Lysistrata written in 411 BC to the twenty first century,

which shows the women’s predicament hasn’t changed much. This suffrage

made Walter Meyers to write that “…immediately (invite) comparison with

Aristophanes Lysistrata where women likewise overrule their husbands by

withholding their favours”. (4).

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But, James Weigel also goes on the sum up that “Lysistrata carries a

more important theme than sexuality which is merely used as a weapon to bring

about peace… (even though) the dramatist clearly regards Lysistrata as a

heroine and not as a butt for humor”.

1.6 Thesis Statement

This Essay attempts to examine the part women play in communal peace

resolution. It also studies the effect of male domination and subjugation on

women and how rebellion is ironically used by women to restore peace in a war

torn society.
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CHAPTER TWO

GENDER ANALYSIS: FEMINISM AND DISCRIMINATION

2.1 Introduction to the Concept of Feminism

The reason why this topic is viewed from the feminism angle is not far-

fetched, this is because the topic borders on feminism and the power of women

(although down-played and relegated) in the various communities.

According to the Longman New Universal Dictionary, which defines

feminism as:

“The Advocacy or furtherance of women’s rights, interest and equality

with men in politics, economics and social spheres” (588).

Also, the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, defines feminism as:

“The belief and aim that women should have the same rights and opportunities

as men; the struggle to achieve this aim” (430).

The whole issue on women and feminism began with the appearance of

Mary Wollstonecraft’s. A Vindication of Rights of Woman (1792), she believes

that a woman’s essential worth stems from her common humanity and does not

depend on any thing outside that. Feminism is therefore an ideological

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movement that is aimed against the political, social and economic oppression of

woman by men.

Images of women in literature sometimes tend to reflect stereotypical

assumptions that women are being portrayed as passive, indolent and

dependent.

This portrayal of women (as indicated in Lysistrata) undermines their realistic

capabilities and instead reflect the male attitude of supremacy.

Lysistrata in the play Lysistrata, is portrayed as a typical woman, but a

very zealous one who moves away from the usual norm of domicility on the

part of women in order for peace and sanity to be restored in her community

despite the challenges she faces from the men folk, just because has happens to

be of the “weaker sex”.

The essence of feminism in literature is a challenge to this distasteful

image and a re-definition, an assertive clamouring of subjugated female and

rejection in superlative stance of the slot of an all time inferior character, and

the awakening of women against relegation to the background through rebellion

and revolt to actualize being heard and to bring about peace and sanity to their

communities.
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2.2 Male Dominance

Male dominance over the female has been in existence right from time

immemorial. Time only helped in down playing it to a bearable extent. Right

from the time of Aristophanes, it is believed that man is solely in charge of

everything including the women, thereby giving the woman a subordinating

role, this not only so, women are downgraded and underrated.

Infact, women are to be seen not heard. They are more like there for the

satisfaction of the men, sex objects, or in a more euphemistic approach, merely

child bearing (and rearing) objects. Their decision is not welcomed at all. They

more or less talk only when spoken to.

Judging from conversations between a man and awomen, this

dominating and downgrading attitude is displayed in the play. An example is

this conversation between Lysistrata (woman) and her husband (man) about the

war between Athens and the Trojans and he says

“…’if you don’t spin your thread,

You will get a major beating on your head.

War is men’s concern” (598).

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This is a typical example of the unwelcomed decision of a woman in war

matters. From another conversation between her and the Magistrate, a man, the

idea of ‘don’t speak unless spoken to’ is seen.

Magistrate; you’d have been smacked if you hadn’t been quiet

and held you tongue (598).

Another between her and this same magistrate.

Magistrate: May I die a thousand death ere I obey one who wears

a veil! (i.e. a woman).

Lysistrata: If that is all that troubles you, here take my veil,

wrap it round your head, and hold your tongue…

The magistrate comments that he would rather die than obey a woman and we

see how this domination gave Lysistrata the audacity with which she spoke

back at him.

And later, this conversation between Lysistrata and a fellow woman.

Lysistrata: Oh Calonice; my heart is on fire;

I blush for our sex. Men will have it

We are tricky and sly…

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Calonic: And they are right upon my word!

In the above conversation, the idea the men have of the woman is; woman are

sly and tricky. They constantly say it and probably lord it over the women

which makes even Calonice believe in this gender stereotype, which of course

is often not true in reality, just an excuse to justify their actions.

This underrating and male dominance brought about the rebellion

because the men refused to listen to advice from their wives. The men know

what the women can do if given a chance, as seen in the chorus of men.

“If we give them the least hold over us, his all up! Their audacity

will known no bounds! We shall see them building ships and

fighting sex-fights like the Artemisia…engaged in hand to hand

combat with men”.

As this study continues, more light will be shed on why male dominance

thrives and also the role the family and society at large play in aggravating this

over flogged issue of male dominance.

2.3 Parental Attitude towards Male and Female Children

In various societies, especially African and Asian societies (mostly

China and India), it is a known fact that there is an obsession with male
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children, it has always been so for generations. In the family, male children are

supreme. In India for example, some communities see female children as

liabilities in the family because it is actually the parents of the bride that pays

the dowry to the man during weddings. Because of this, many expecting parents

abort their female children so as to avoid unnecessary ‘spending’ by the parents

who think it is a waste of time and resources to train a female child and still pay

in order for her to get married.

In many families, the preference given to the male child is as a result of

the cultural environment where muscularity has come to be widely identified as

active, dominating, adventurous, rational, and creative. This even made

Lysistrata as a mother to consider her male children as special gifts to the

society where she likened them to taxes:

Lysistrata: What matters that I was born a woman, if I can cure

your misfortunes ? I pay my share of tolls and taxes,

by given man to the state…

Where as, the females know how to do only one thing:

Calonice: But what sensible or splendid act could women do?

We sit around playing with our cosmetics, wearing

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Golden clothes, posing in Cimmerian silks and

shippers (45).

But for the feminine, there is a systemic opposition to active and creative traits

as they are always considered and identified as passive, acquiescent, timid,

emotional and conventional, this disparity in choice of male and female

children is a central issue.

When a family has only female children, the family is considered incomplete

and the mother unfulfilled.

2.4 Societal Attitude towards Females

The origin of male dominated society has been around for a long time,

subjection of women has being from time immemorial (be it in aspects of

Religion or tradition). In the major religions across the world, Christianity and

Islam and even indigenous religions, women suffer one form of prohibition or

the other, placed under restrictions and are relegated to the background.

Feminist issues like the oppression of women and the inequality of the

sexes, are more than obvious when reading Lysistrata. Lysistrata herself

addresses these issues and curses the ignorance of women:

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“I’m on fire to the bone. I’m ashamed to be a woman-a member

of a sex which can’t even live up to male slander! To hear our

husbands’ talks, we’re sly, deceitful, always plotting, members of

intrigue…” (11-15).

Almost all her dialogue is a proto-feminist diatribe about the need for more

female involvement in society.

The society isn’t really keen on more involvement of women in its

matters despite all the awareness and such. As in the book Lysistrata, we see

how the society takes the news of the women seizing the citadel and the

remarks that the magistrate makes about this situation, that nothing good or

productive can come from actions taken by women.

“…that is just the loose degenerated stuffs that comes from

women (line 440).

How women are viewed is better explained in the statement above, from this,

we see how the society or better put how the men see the women, society treats

women as being unequal to the men although this seems downplayed, but

underneath, this treatment is still there, from politics to job and contract

allocation, to managerial positions in organizations and even in minute things.

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Through these treatments, they make the women feel their opinion doesn’t

count in their own societies. In some societies, they advocate beating for

women by their husbands or even any elderly man. This is evident in

Lysistrata’s society as depicted by this conversation between the magistrate and

Lysistrata, when he tries to use his fists on her for her supposedly wanton

behavour:

Lysistrata: Listen them and try to control your fists

Magistrate: I can’t, I’m so sorry I can’t keep my hands to myself.

1st old woman: Then you are the one who will get hurt.

Magistrate: Croak those curses at yourself, old bag! (Line 203).

Lysistrata endures the verbal bashing so that the various countries at war might

have peace, women are known to be peace bringers in the society despite the

stereotyped role of domicility placed on them.

2.5 Discrimination as it Affects Women

The feminine gender has often been made peripheral in our society and

everyday life. Men have regarded women as a means of achieving an end.

Physical and psychological restrictions have made them restricted, “protected”,

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and subjugated thereby stifling their thinking ability and their will power and

spirit to carryout or do what ordinarily they can do.

Some of their aims and desire have been cut short just because women

are stereotyped into particular behaviour and role in the societies and even in

their work places. Discrimination has so affected women that even women see

themselves as weaklings that can’t do things on their own without prodding as

confirmed by one of Lysistrata’s followers in this sentence:

“But what sensible or splendid act could women do?”

Women as humans also have their aims and goals, so when restricted or

discriminated against because of gender some take drastic steps to achieve their

goals despite the discrimination, and we known what a desperate or bitter

women can do. The women of Athens and Sparta decided to use the only tool at

their disposal, sexual intercourse, which proves to be the women’s most

powerful tool or weapon most times in achieving or bringing about peace in

their homes and the society at large.

The extent in which the women have been downgraded as people who

can’t contribute positively to the society, this being because of discrimination

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and stereotype. The women saw the need for immediate action which makes

Calonice declare:

“Yes, by Aphrodite, that is right. If no, we’ll be labeled weak and

gutless woman” (274).

Discrimination affects women and puts fear into them. The woman now fear to

speak out, state what is on their minds to help the situation for fear of being

spoken down on and reminded of being a ‘mere’ women and also for fear of

being battered by their husbands. But we see Lysistrata rising against all odds to

save her country despite the discrimination and name calling.

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CHAPTER THREE

ROLE OF WOMEN IN REBELLION AND PEACE RESOLUTION

3.1 Women and Rebellion

Judith Bardwick in her book: Women in Transition; wrote that:

“Feminism is an explicit rejection of the life-style created by strong coercive

norms that define what women are, and can do”. (31).

She went ahead to state that: “It is psychological revolution based on women’s

insistence that they have basic right to make choice and be judged as

individual” (52).

According to Bardwick, when these basic rights of women are denied, they

further insist on being heard and this might lead to a revolt or revolution. She

advocates that a woman has the right and freedom from male domination and to

decide her destiny. The concept sees the women as being able to make her

choice, know good for herself, as well as what is bad. It also holds that a

woman must break new grounds that she should not let herself be trampled

upon. In other words, the woman should strive to exhibit her worth.
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The Aba women riot of 1926 was an event fashioned towards the

emancipation of women. Also, the 1995 women’s meeting held in Beijing

China, focused on the plight of women and the action needed to improve their

lot.

The struggle to end discrimination of sexes and be relevant in the society

is not considered a one man challenge, rather, it calls for a group struggle like

the Aba women and the women in Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, where the women

rallied round and even rebelled to help themselves and the society.

This also brought about black feminism, even though Africa has not

experienced or witnessed radical feminism compared to other continents,

meaning that feminism in Africa is mild, it is infact about survival; survival of

the woman, the child, the family and society.

This shows that Black feminism is not a one-sided affair because women’s

struggle for equality in Africa will be a benefit to them, the home and the

society at large.

Oppression of women therefore is a blind retardation of the society. The society

surges forward only when everybody is on good balance, equal right and

opportunity.
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3.2 Rebellion: As a Tool for Feminine Identity

IDENTITY-According to Cambridge University Dictionary is defined as:

“Who a person is or the qualities of a person or group that makes them different

from others”.

In this study, we see the zeal of the women in stating their claim and

most of all demanding for listening ears from the male folk even though they

are women, they just had to be heard not regarding their sex. In a patriarchal

setting or society like Lysistrata’s, this is very difficult to achieve and this is

what the women have realized, which pushed them to engage in revolt in

achieving their aim. In this study, the women of Athens and Sparta realized this

too, and they engaged in rebellion to fight for feminine identity as Lysistrata

portrays when she defiantly resists the arrogant egoistic magistrate. She and her

colleagues use rebellion to make known their aim and also for identity. The

men refuse to identify the importance of women, so the women forcefully push

forward their identity in their faces when they confronted the magistrate.

“What did you expect? Did you really think you were facing a

bunch of female slaves? Or is your belief that mere women have

no spirit? (Line 519).

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In their quest for identity, they were able to establish the fact that women

can do things when they really want to, that being a woman does not connote

weakness and slavery (be it physical, emotional or mental), and that women

have the spirit (will power) in them contrary to the gutlessness associated with

them. This is a rude shock to the society because women are seen not heard. If

they attempt to make themselves known or visible, they are shunned and put in

their place:

“… ‘If you don’t spin your thread, you will get a major beating on
your heard…” (598).

“you’d have been smacked if you hadn’t held your tongue” (Line
596).

Lysistrata, although fighting for peace also fight for identity among the male

folk or better put fights for feminine recognition by the society.

3.3 Rebellion: As a Means to Draw Attention

We see and hear women from different part of the world going on sex

strike, being a commonly used weapon by the women to draw attention,

especially when the problem is emanating from the men folk. With this single

act of Rebellion, we see that they are quickly answered and peace restored to

the restive society. Like in Lysistrata, using rebellion to resolve the war is
 29

actually ironical, like using war to end a war. But revolt against the men was the

only way to actually get their attention and stop the silly wars that they keep

fighting at any slightest provocation.

As this sections state, we will look at how the women were able to rebel

and draw the men’s attention and also the effect it had on their target.

Rebellion according to the Cambridge Dictionary of American Englis is defined

as the; “A feeling of strong disagreement with an organization or with people in

authority”.

The authority holders which are men in this case suggests the society is

partrichal in nature. In defining rebellion, we see in the text used how the

women strongly disagree with the men over their insistent wars.

In Lysistrata, the first attention getting action the women took was that

they stopped being intimate with their husbands in accordance with their oath,

irrespective of the huddles and challenges. The women went ahead to seize the

Acropolis and barricade the citadel, with the help of the old women:

Lysistrata: “…today we’ll capture the Akropolis. The old women

have been assigned the task…they will pretend they’re

going there to sacrifice and seize the place”. (Line 192).

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These actions get the men’s attention in no time, this angers the menfolk, and

the magistrate blames his fellow men for the ‘freedom’ they give their wives

which has suddenly made them insolent and untamable:

“…It serves you right. We men ourselves share in the blame for

this. We teach our wives their free and easy life, and so intrigues

comes flowing out from them…Bring the crow bar, I’ll stop these

women’s insolence myself…” (Line 452).

They were enraged by the new ‘boldness’ that has gotten over their women, the

women wanted attention and they got it. The act of seizing the Acropolis further

bruises the already deflated ego of the men. Since the women were never given

opportunity to speak, they decide to speak through rebellion.

3.4 Rebellion: As a Means to Achieve Goals

We must note that the women in Lysistrata rebelled in order to restore

peace in their country, it was solely for peace purpose. The insistent wars raging

in Sparta and Athens has claimed many lives, majorly able bodied young men,

leaving the women widowed and the children fatherless. But through this act of

rebellion by women, the wars stopped, peace restored and thousands of men
 31

were saved from death. The dogged and unrelenting spirit of the women made

this possible as seen in some of Lysistratas speeches.

“The whole future of the country rests with us –Either the

ponnesians are all going to be wiped out…”

A goal gather must be strong and have the will power to carryout his/her

wishes. In this case, Lysistrata’s wish was for peace to be restored in her

country, and we see her in the way she encourages her weary comrades and

inspires them to be steadfast and hold on just a little:

“…but hold out my dears, hold out! A little more patience, and

the victory will be our…if only we remain united…”

And another line:

“Nay, never let us be cast down by calamity! Let us be brave to

bear, and go back to our posts…”

This is an encouragement from a truly brave woman who wants her goals to see

the light of the day. Indeed, it wasn’t easy for the women, they left everything

for the struggle for peace, they even left their babies at home, even though a

little harsh, but this action is also for there sakes, so they won’t be fatherless
 32

children. This is to show the extreme measures women can take in order to

achieve goals. They even captured the Acropolis, barricade the citadel to

emphasize their seriousness, they seized the treasury to stop the funding for the

wars. When the magistrate started throwing tantrums, Lysistrata declares;

“we will save you, even if it goes against your wish”.

We are able to see what a frustrated women can do in order to state her

point and achieve her goals. The goal achieved by the women will be further

explained in the next subtopic.

3.5 Rebellion: As a Tool for Peace Resolution

Women have contributed immensely to the peace of the world at large,

to show this, in the 1960’s during the Vietnam war, the slogan “make love not

war” most likely was inspired by the core message behind Lysistrata. In 2002,

more than forty (40) years later, an organization called “The Lysistrata project”

was formed in response to the September 11th attack on the world trade center in

New York City, their slogan is a simple one, “peace in the world is attainable”

(www.lysistrataproject.org), its main objective was to prevent war on Iraq. This

shows the inspiration and influence of the book Lysistrata in carrying out a

message of peace.
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In Lysistrata, the resolutions came finally when the women resolved the

various conflicts in their communities. As women, they couldn’t contribute to

or solve any problem until they discovered the powerful tool of rebellion in

fighting for peace, for their rights, their children, family and society at large.

Rebellion necessarily doesn’t have to indicate the used of weapons, the women

in Lysistrata were only armed with their feminine charms and skillful strategies

and doggedness, and at the end, it got them the peace. First, they started this

journey in unity even though they were from different regions. They even took

an oath to further bind them as Lysistrata states:

“… But now, it only all women would come here from Sparta and

Boeotia, join up with us, if we worked together, we’d save

Greece” (Line 41).

And this they did, Lysistrata and her valiant warriors were the last hope of

Athens in bringing peace because the men were adamant to advice and

corrections especially from the women folks as earlier stated by Lysistrata.

The women were so dedicated to their struggle and aims they didn’t look

back despite the distractions. At last, the men succumbed and yielded to the

women.
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The Laconian envoy came all the way from Sparta, other countries also sent

ambassadors, even Athens assemble its own envoy, all of them aiming at

pleading with the rebelling women and promising to sheath their swords and

end the raging war and restore peace, as seen in the conversation between the

ambassadors of the warring countries;

Laconian envoy: we have come to treat for peace.

Magistrate: well said; we are of the same mind. Better call

Lysistrata; she is the only person who will bring us

to terms.

From the conversation, we see the men acknowledge the women through

Lysistrata, by mentioning that only the women can settle the case and end the

rebellion as the men have already ended their war. Here is Lysistrata, a “mere”

woman called to settle the case between nations and actually declared peace on

the warring countries;

Laconian envoy: Yes, yes and Lysistrata

into the bargain if you will.

These statements above clearly depict the strength of women and mostly, the

role of women as communal peace symbols, if not for the women, the wars
 35

would probably have gone on. Indeed the women rebelled, but peace was the

reason for the rebellion and it was achieved, not only for the women’s safe but

for the whole community and even for the children yet unborn who might be

made fatherless as a result of war.

And at the end of the struggle, Lysistrata declares:

Lysistrata: Earth is delighted now, peace is the voice of the earth.

(Spartans, sort out your wives: Athenians yours. Let each

catch hands with his wife and dance his joy, dance out his

thanks, be grateful in music…

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CHAPTER FOUR

LITERARY DEVICES USED IN LYSISTRATA

We go further into this study by looking at the general literary devices

used in the drama and also the devices used to portray the comedy in the book.

4.1 Satire as a Literary Device in Lysistrata

Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize

foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humour, irony

exaggeration or ridicule. It intends to improve the humanity by criticizing its

follies and foibles. Satire is usually a comical piece of writing which makes fun

in order to expose stupidity and shortcoming. Aristophanes ridicules war and its

stupidity and the foolishness of men who initially took the women and their

actions for granted. He also satirizes war for the loss of life and property it has

caused.

Through a conflict between the sexes, he exposes the futility of war and the

devastation it has brought. It is satirical that the women use sex as a weapon to

stop men from making wars. Though the hilarious situation sounds farcical, it

has been advantageously employed to discuss a serious issue of war. The

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meaninglessness and futility of war is brought home with the bitterness of a

lesson.

4.2 Irony as a Literary Device

Irony and satire are interlinked. Irony is the difference between what is

said or done and what is actually meant. Therefore, writers frequently employ

satire to point at dishonesty and silliness. Aristophanes points out the stance of

men and the society concerning women and their roles in the society through

the magistrate and the chorus of the men, but a twist in event that later unfolds

showcases the women more or less ruling the men folk, winning the war that

has been raging for years without bloodshed, which the men with all their

amoury and all the violence they could muster didn’t win.

Aristophanes has women at the fore-front of the play, even though

society during the ancient Greece is patriarchal. This is quite ironic, because

this suggests that the play serves to satirize the very idea of male domination

and probably women entering the political decisions.

4.3 Farce as a Literary Device

Farce is a technique that combines exaggeration with an improbable plot

and stereotyped characters to achieve humour. In theatre, a farce is a comedy

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that aims at entertaining the audience through exaggerated, extravagant and thus

improbable characters, and often, slapstick elements are used. This comedy

provokes the audience to simple hearty laughter in the parlance of the theatre.

In doing this sometimes, according to M.H. Abrams, it “… makes free us of

sexual mix-up, broad verbal humour and physical bustle and horseplay,

sometimes relying in great part on sexual humour and innuendo” . A perfect

example of this is an extract from the oath taking exercise by Lysistrata and the

ladies as depicted below:

“To husband or lover I will not open arms

Though love and denial may enlarge his charms

…I’ll never lie and stare up at the ceiling,

Nor like a lion on all fours go kneeling…”

This oath taking is farcial in that its exaggerated characters with extravagant

poem-like words uses slapstick elements, verbal humour and physical bustle

and sexual hunour and innuendo. This example is found almost throughout the

book Lysistrata.
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4.4 Suspense as a Literary Device

Suspense is the intense feeling that an audience goes through while

waiting for the outcome of certain events. It basically leaves the reader or

audience wanting for more information on what will happen next. It engages the

attention of the audience, this is an extremely important device used to arouse

the interest of an audience.

In the beginning of the play, we see Lysistrata rebuking the womenfolk

for not arriving at the Acropolis in time. This leaves the audience thinking ‘why

are the womenfolk wanted at the Acropolis’ the reason of course is not made

known thereby keeping the audience in suspense. Lysistrata claims an “orgy”

would lead to;

“Frantic females banging on tambourines…but today-there’s not

one woman here” (Aristophanes 16).

The underlining of the word “today” suggests that the day must be unique-but

this is not revealed as of yet. The suspense is only broken when Lysistrata in a

dialogue with her neighbour, Kleonike hinted at the purpose of the meeting.

Throughout he play, we are also kept in suspense on how the whole strategy by

Lysistrata will turn out, will the men win, will the women succumb to pressure?
 40

At last the suspense is broken when envoys are sent from different communities

to meet with Lysistrata and put an end to the revolt and war.

4.5 Chorus as a Literary Device

Chorus means “unison”. The use of chorus in literature arose from

dramatic traditions of Ancient Greece. The chorus are a group that often dance

and chanted in unison to enhance the presentation of the drama: the chorus

could also enter into the action representing a mob, Crowd or other amorphous

group in the story.

In Lysistrata, there is the chorus of old men and that of old women. The

choruses appeared there times and they provided much of the dialogue and

action, with the third appearing in the finale. M.H. Abrams also says they also

were a group of people “…wearing masks, who sang or chanted verses while

performing dancelike movements at religious festivals” (23). An example

below:

Chorus of women:… O goddess, suffer not, I pray, this harse

deed to be done, but show us Greece and Athens with their

warlike acts repealed!...

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4.6 Hyperbole as a Literary Device

Hyperbole is simply the use of over-exaggeration for the purpose of

creating emphasis or being humorous. In the Greek society, women had little

control of their lives, therefore, the experience and boldness that Lysistrata and

the women are made to posses is exaggerated to make the women appear more

knowledgeable than they probably would be. Aristophanes thus used

exaggeration to make the distinction between the the good wife and the

undesirable wife even clearer by making the men detest the new boldness in

their wives. They all prefer a timid and docile wife to these bold and wild ones

teaming up with Lysistrata. He used hyperbole to create the characteristics of

the worst possible wives for comic effect.

Also, the men are made to wear phalluses to show their manliness and to

exaggerate their ego and domination, the exaggerated artificial phallus is also

worn for comic effect.

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CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION

In this study, we have amply studied the topic. Role of women in

communal peace resolution, with the aid of Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata

we started this topic from the angle of feminism, the feminal attitude or

response to subjugation and suppression, down to the tool of rebellion in the

hands of women, how rebellion is put into positive use to resolve war and

restore peace, thus making the women peace restores in their societies. With

further use of examples from within and outside the recommended text, we

were able to establish the rationale behind this idea of women and rebellion as

in the case of the Aba women riot. These women (like their counterparts in

Lysistrata) boldly revolted against their British colonial master, in order to fight

for their rights and restore peace and sanity in their community.

All these interwoven with the literary devices used in establishing the

book Lysistrata as comedy and also the general devices used by Aristophanes to

create the plot and mould his characters.

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