In the two plays “Lysistrata” written by Aristophanes and “Mother Courage” written by Eric Bentley, the main topic of discussion is war.The reader is exposed to numerous examples of how women can have great impact on situations. Overall, the main character in both plays uses their gender to benefit them in a time of war.Furthermore, the overall impact of these two women is long lasting and influential. In turn, Mother courage and Lysistrata use their gender to obtain their goals.
In Lysistrata, the role women play is eminent from the beginning. “The whole future of the city is up to us”(Aristophanes 181). The women of this time period believe that the fate of their beloved city is in there hands. Continuing, the women want the war to stop “no longer lift up their spears against one another”(Aristophanes 182). The idea the women possess is to end a war that they believe should not be going on. Women posses a very desirable attraction to men in procreation. The plan is to withhold sex until the war is put to a holt “see-through dresses”(Aristophanes 182). The men will eventually go crazy…show more content… Lysistrata takes a more direct path to solving an issue while Mother Courage uses the was to benefit her. Mother Courage is a fan of the war “I won’t let you spoil my war for me” (Bentley 82). If the war was to end she would be back to the old ways. Although she has been through great heartache throughout the war she still has seen profits like she never has before. Lysistrata's impact on war is not to benefit herself but to make a change that will save her city. This idea is magnified when she exclaims “we can save Greece” (Aristophanes 181). Women decide to take the war into their own hands in Lysistrata and decide to do something for others and not for themselves. Ending the war is the outcome that they all are striving for, withholding sex is their main means of achieving that
