Essays on Lysistrata

Lysistrata is a Greek comedy by Aristophanes, first staged in 411 BC. The play is about the Peloponnesian War, specifically, the conflict between Athens and Sparta. Lysistrata is the wife of a Spartan soldier who has been away at war for many years. She is tired of the fighting and the death, and she decides to take matters into her own hands. She and the other women of Greece go on a sex strike, refusing to have sex with their husbands until the war is over.The men, of course, are not happy about this. They try to tempt the women with food, wine, and even offers of peace, but the women are resolute. Eventually, the men give in, and the war is ended.Lysistrata is a funny, clever play that makes a serious point about the futility of war. It is still relevant today, as we continue to see the same cycle of violence and destruction.