Lysistrata: What Could Possibly Be

¶ … Lysistrata: What could possibly be funny about a sex strike undertaken by women on both sides of a war as a There are several points of hilarity in Aristophanes' classic Greek drama, Lysistrata. To properly understand all of the humor, which has a copious number of references to phallic comedy and other fairly vulgar jokes, one must understand that more than anything else this work of literature belongs to the genre known as satire. Satires are creative works which focus on exploiting some aspect of human folly and finding points of levity in it. Oftentimes, satires are political in nature, and in choosing the subject of both sides in the famous Peloponnesian War, Aristophanes seems to use his play to illustrate the folly of war and to make fun of it. The author contrasts the war taking place between the Spartans and the Thebans with a sexual war taking place between the men and the women populating these states. Essentially, what makes the notion of war a matter of comedy is the fact that such political and national wars are decidedly less important than sexual relations between genders.

One of the chief ways that the author demonstrates that the combat between men is less important than the sexual relationship between men and women (another form of combat or type of interaction, if you will) is by having both sides in his war, that of men and women, strenuously object to chaste actions. This strategy is designed by the titular character in Aristophanes' drama, and although this stratagem eventually produces an armistice -- which indicates exactly how unpopular Lysistrata's plan was with men -- it is initially disparaged by the women. The principle point of humor in this occurrence is that not even the women are willing to sacrifice their love lives for political gain. The subsequent quotation, in which Lysistrata initially tells her plan to her female followers and gauges their reaction, illustrates exactly how unpopular Lysistrata's ply was with her female associated during the war. "We must refrain from every depth of love…Why do you turn your backs? Where are you going? Why do you bite your lips and shake your heads? / Why are your faces blanched? Why do you weep?" (Aristophanes Section I). The humor in this passage is readily apparent. No sooner has Lysistrata simply mentioned the moratorium on sex than the rest of the women begin to cry, leave, and turn pale. Moreover, they do all of these actions in the brief time it takes for her to say the women must "refrain" from having sex. The quick reaction of the women and the reaction itself (including tears and an inability of many of them to even here the rest of Lysistrata's plan) is enough to evoke laughter from any audience. The true humor, of course, is that these women would much rather risk having their men killed than not have sex with them. They prioritize sex over everything, including war -- as their men will as well.

The reaction that Lysistrata's plan engenders within the men fighting the Peloponnesian war is equally as humorous, if not more so. It is interesting to note that many aspects of the humor Aristophanes in this play are both physical and intellectual -- meaning that people do and say things to make the audience laugh. The former type of humor is akin to slapstick humor and a type of "lowbrow" comedy that was just perfect for the theater -- which was essentially the television of the day of the playwright. However, the effects of Lysistrata's plan produce a very funny reaction when a herald from Sparta comes to discuss the terms of peace because he and his men have not had sex. The subsequent quotation, in which a magistrate appraises the appearance of the herald, suitably conveys this fact.

Magistrate

…why do you hide that lance

That sticks out under your arms?

Herald

I've brought no lance.

Magistrate The why do you turn aside and hold your cloak

So far out from your body? Is your groin swollen

The humor in this passage pertains to the fact that the Herald has an erection. The reason he has an erection, of course, is because Lysistrata's plan is working and the women in Sparta have not had sex with the men. This produces the hilarious effect of the men walking around with huge erections that they cannot appease without the consent of their women. There are other specific facets of this passage that make a mockery of war as well. For instance, the Magistrate assumes the herald's erection is a lance -- which is a clever way of Aristophanes using war as a metaphor for sex. The implications of this passage, of course, is that without sex there is very little important in the world -- especially war and its travesties.

The phallic symbol represented by the soldier's erection and its likeness to a lance is highly prevalent throughout this play; much of the humor relates to phallic imagery. This fact is evinced again later on in the discourse between the magistrate and the herald. It is clear that the herald has come to arrange the terms of peace. He expresses this knowledge to the magistrate as the latter enquires how the Spartans are faring without having sex. The herald's response encompasses typical phallic imagery as a point of humor. He tells the magistrate: "We are broken, and bent double / Limp like men carrying lanthorns in great winds / About the city" (Aristophanes). The pivotal point of comedy in this passage is that the herald claims that he and the rest of the Spartans are "limp," which is an obvious allusion to a penis that is in no condition to have sex. The fact is that the Spartans are actually in no condition to have sex due to the manipulations of Lysistrata and of Lampito. The author, then, is attempting to create humor utilizing a metaphor which is related to the theme of this work of literature -- which is unequivocally sex (or the lack thereof). This passage indicates that the moral of the Spartans is as low or as deflated as a non-erect penis since they are not able to have sex. By terming the spirit of the Spartans as "limp" and "bent," Aristophanes is utilizing phallic imagery and symbolism to show how devastating Lysistrata's plan is to these soldiers. The humor is found in the fact that the author is utilizing sexual imagery to describe the effects of chastity (the lack of sex) on these soldiers. Audiences would have instantly recognized the parallel between this imagery and the play's theme, which is quite humorous.