Lysistrata- Fantasy or Real

Aristophanes’ Lysistrata is a masterful comedy about sex, war and gender. Its main comedic device partly fails in our modern interpretation because of our more balanced views of women in the 21st century. The plot is shown to be fantasy, an absurd idea to the ancient Athenians. This then is the root of its humour. However, a few points in the play relate directly to the original audience’s lifestyle during the Peloponnesian war, and therefore are the plays link with reality, its dramatic landline for the audience.

Lysistrata deals with the sensitive and possibly offensive subject matter by parodying it. Aristophanes dodges the seriousness of war, a subject close to home for all Athenians, by making crude jokes - “There isn’t anyone to have an affair with - not a sausage!” - ll. 109. This shows the fictional element of the play, as in Aristophanes time in Athens, both women and men were known to have numerous adulterous affairs, and if the sex strike were to be successful, ...