Drama Greek Tragedy - Essay Example

Greek Tradgedy Unit Introduction Greek Tragedy is primarily a drama that involves tragic as the suggests. It stresses the helplessness of individuals whose suffering is said to be brought by a combination of divine and human actions. It is a genre that is not negative, although the tragedies end in gloom for most of the characters, but there are other tragedies that end with solutions that are satisfactory. However, it might be said that in Greek tragedy assertive woman brings about disaster, whereas in Greek comedy, they bring peace. However, the first scene of Lysistrata calls into question the idea that the first thing in the mind of the women of Athens is peace. In this regard, this essay aims at examining carefully the desires of the female characters in Aristophanes play. The desires of the female characters in Aristophanes play comes out when Lysistrata compares the unwillingness of the actor to be distinguished from the character of the female in order to lose his part of the anatomy. Douglas Parker (11) claims that in the classical economy of the Athens there is a reference for his refusal to deny the need of his other half. In this play penis is exhibited in phalloi of characters of men but hidden beneath the women outfits in the characters. The threat or thought of losing control over the penis as the anatomical member can be termed as the main focus of the plot. However, this threat is brought out by the actors, both symbolically and visually, while taking off the women’s clothes by the male characters who in this case are referred to as impotent. Women clothes also operate as male Omni-erotic fantasies that female characters desire. There are real women in this system and therefore, the women who exist as subjects and desiring objects are only said to be present in the mimetic play’s frame. Within this framework is the main signals in this play, the women’s clothes as disguise are responsible for the successful results at the end, with its homoerotic and homosocial underpinnings. These are directed to an erotic want, and the supreme citizens lose their military and political dominance. According to Douglas Parker (11-15), the version in this drama is the main drive of female clothing. The desires of the female characters in Aristophanes play have also been brought out by a diverse number of women through actions and dialogue. Lysistrata is an excellent and powerful speaker, while the other one is quite opposite. She is the character that does not involve herself in politics when sex possibility is cancelled and in most of the parts many of the characters do not fit in the pattern of a stereotypical women of the time, that obey their husbands and housebound. Aristophanes shows the strong character of females in both sides, where one is subservient, while the other one is influential. Although Lysistrata is obviously the top leader of the political movement, some of her characters are more of males than women. This is because male, as well as female during the time found the scheme to be entirely unbelievable if the central character which affected this change was a real woman with character. Lysistrata therefore, breaks the traditional role of a woman in many different ways, but the most annoying part on this separation is her character, which is too masculine and has been removed from the world of what the other women undergo (Douglas Parker 11-15). Throughout the scheme, Lysistrata uses women in a similar way the men do in her pursuit of change. For example, when Spartan examinations take place in the beginning of the play, all women undergo the same scrutiny that is sexualized by a man. Lysistrata is said to be the leader of this examination. She looks at Spartan woman and utters an important quote: She quotes the men saying” Cunning to the “depravity” point of…. Is my translation, (Douglas Parker 99). Douglas Parker (11-15) contends that the Lysistrata with her masculine guidance, makes other women explore the viability of sexuality, and though it does not result in wellness, like making the husbands come back home or ending the wars, it takes away the potential message of power and gender. Although all women in play have a mind that is noble, it is sad because not all women can be like the strong Lysistrata, and therefore, they have to depend on this Male like woman, and must experience the process called sexualized. Lysistrata only relies and focuses on sex, instead of organizing efforts that are straightforward. Her mind is full of sex and that of her fellow women to have the same desires. However, this play would be mistakenly interpreted as feminist in a number of ways, if all women were not playing the same sex roles. The hyper and young Athens sexualized women or wives meaning to keep off any bodily relations with their men until there is an achievement of reconciliation as described below. However, there is a corresponding strike, with women who are post-productive whose sexuality and bodies do not have any value like the treasuries and the Acropolis. It seems the city at war is now the city with peace, because the men only recover their control in sex over their wives only when Spartan and Athenians are reconciled. The gender balance is not permanently uneven and therefore, women like Lysistrata will go back to their place. This play can make us think that this particular war took control could change the history, but at the end it is not possible. As much as Lysistrata takes the role of a man, her position is portrayed positively. Although the position of women cannot really be glorified, the most important thing is that women are changing their affairs, and it does not matter if it is for a moment. Men always desire women, and therefore, women return the affection by clothing as a way of accentuating their bodies. This is the same in men where they always want and are eager to prove their manhood. The Aristophanes play brings the desires of the female characters in terms of desire for sex, where it is the most human and base drive in each human being, which makes the world take a different direction - there are no any actions of peace. The idea of sex changing the history is not welcoming, but works well in female characters in Aristophanes play, because the plan of women involving themselves in politics was a strong idea at that time. (Douglas Parker 11-15). Lysistrata organizes coaxes, judges, events and convinces women to perform their duties, but remains outside of this stereotyped role, thus removes herself from the action. Additionally, she goes against her female societal norms and critical harsh of other women, especially in the first scene, when she claims that they would have been invited to a reveling Bacchic, or Genetyllis or Aphrodite because the streets would love their songs of joy. She thinks other women are crazy with sex as she is, and is not surprised when they do not come out to take part in her summons of politics. She also relies on these women to support her politically and reads the Intention of Aristophanes aloud in the play: Was his audience meant to scrutiny the whole idea as a sham or there was political true sentiment that was involved,…. (Douglas Parker 44). Conclusion The desires of the female characters in Aristophanes play are sexual and political. The first scene of Lysistrata shows that the first thing in the mind of the women of Athens is peace, which is demonstrated by women wanting to seek peace with their husbands and be housebound and dutiful. Women clothes also operate as male Omni-erotic fantasies that female characters desire. They dress to attract their husbands and other men. Aristophanes play shows the strong character of females in both sides, where one is submissive, while the other one is influential. Although Lysistrata is obviously the top leader of the political movement, some of her characters are that of males rather than females, which make the scheme, be entirely unbelievable because the central character which affected this change was a real woman. Therefore, Lysistrata breaks the traditional role of a woman in different ways. Work cited Parker, Douglas. Aristophanes;trans. Lysistrata a modern translation.C.A Eric Chavkin. 2003. Pg 11- 15. Print Read More