9/15 Lysistrata #3A

Stereotypes
The women in Lysistrata are said to have many stereotypes, including being tricky, stupid, and bad money. Throughout the action of the play, the women are shown to indeed be tricky, but they are not shown to be rather smart and able to handle finances. The Greek women are quite clever and wily in Lysistrata, which is especially noteworthy in the scene in which Myrrhine tricks her husband. She teases him just to torture him somewhat and help the cause of the women. The men in Lysistrata, also accuse the woman of being stupid, or not smart enough to be able to sort out a political and international mess. The Magistrate even calls Lysistrata "brainless." However, Lysistrata is able to not only sort out the mess of the war and the women's revolt, but she also acts as a liaison between the Spartans and the Athenians towards the end of the play. Women are also thought to be, by the men in the play, unable to handle money. Lysistrata proves that she can not only take care of the money of the city, but she can also see that money is the real cause of the war, while the men are blind to that fact. In these ways, the women in Lysistrata go support and condradict stereotypes that men in the play, in in Greece, held about them.

A Woman in Power
Lysistrata displays three more masculine traits throughout the course of the play- bravery, leadership, and control- that helps her achieve her goals. First, Lysistrata displays great bravery. When the men threaten her with physical violence, she does not shirk away from the prospect, but instead threatens right back. She is ready to take any blows she recieves with a straight face, while many women would be expected to cower in a situation like that. Lysistrata is also shown to be a great leader. She is looked up to for guidance by the other women, and, as seen when some tried to leave the Akropolis, she was able to control them. Lysistrata's leadership qualities do not also extend to women, but to men as well. She helps with the negotiations between the Athenians and the Spartans, showing her level-headedness, intellect, and, again, control. Lysistrata is also able to obtain a great level of self-control, something viewed as very manly to the Greeks. She kept her words and feelings in check while many of the other characters let themselves get out of control. Lysistrata, although she was distressed, was able to stem her own bodily urges. In these ways, Lysistrata shows her more masculine traits that, in the end, help her to bring peace to Athens and Sparta.

Personal Response
I think it's great that the women took the city's situation in their owns and fixed it. My feminist side was very happy with Lysistrata and the Women's Leader as they were able to hold their own in the face of such violence and threats from the the men. However, the means in which the women fixed their polis' situation, many events, and the language of the play quite disgusting. It was far too crude for my tastes. It shows me how dark, sinful, and nasty much of the Greek culture was, considering their god and fertility rituals as well. Lysistrata was not a play that I enjoyed reading, but was quite eye-opening.