Banned Book Review #5
Written by TomorrowToday
Last month was the five year anniversary of the Iraq War , excuse me, I mean occupation of Iraq. With that looming over Americas head Lysistrata is a very fitting script to bring a humorous solution to our seemingly never ending problem. Did the ancient Greeks really have the answer to the age old question of war? Listen to what Aristophanes thought.
Lysistrata certainly has her mind on peace. The Athenian men have been at war with the Spartans, Boeotians, and all the rest of Greece for a long time, preventing quality time being spent with the women left behind. Children are going without fathers and the women are only being taken care of once in a blue moon. But nothing can be done in a war faring nation such as Greece, right? Not if Lysistrata has anything to say about it. After she has finally collected all the women in front of the Acropolis from their duties she asks if they will do anything to bring their husbands home. Of course the women cheer in support for any plan from pawning their dresses to climbing the tallest mountain. Absolutely anything is worth peace, except the one thing Lysistrata suggests: denying sex.
Was that an audible gasp? Certainly no sane woman would give up her only carnal pleasure for Lysistrata. But after much convincing, mixed with a little wine, the women consent to doing everything in their power to bring Athenian men home permanently. While the older women seize the Acropolis and refuse to distribute any money for the war all of the wives collect together in an effort to prevent any other woman from escaping for some much desired loving back home. The men, who are visibly in pain from their personal soldiers, are begging the women to come home, if for nothing else then their poor children who suffer from their fathers discomfort.
The most famous scene from this play is between Cinesias and his wife Myrrhine. As have most of the men he has come to collect from his wife, who although having difficulties herself is determined to break the resistance from the men. She dangles the prospect of sex in front of him frequently, but continues running off to retrieve items to make him more comfortable.
Not to ruin the plot, but feel free to make a guess on whom the winner of this challenge of endurance will be. Athenian women were not the only ones in on the plot. Now men from all over the country are flocking to Lysistrata to hear her out and reach a solution that will ease their pain. To drive the heart of the matter home, Lysistrata uses her lovely naked model to help divide the land upon the Grecian countries and finally bring peace to the land.
Why read? Everyone needs a good laugh in hard times and there is nothing better than finding a creative solution to that which ails us. Lysistrata returns often in America during times of war (in various states of undress) to bring attention to what should be on our minds: peace. Even way back then their playwrights had the right idea.
I give it four out of five stars for creativity, humor and ease to read (no complicated language or poetry barrier here) with the only drawback being you are not seeing the fabulous costumes that enliven the experience.
~TomorrowToday
Lysistrata and Other Plays
