Relevance of the Iliad and Lysistrata in ancient Greece

The Diversity and Richness of Ancient Greek Culture

The variety and veracity of the ancient Greek tales serve to further illustrate the diversity and richness of the ancient Greek culture. The best representation and understanding of ancient Greek culture can be found in the stories from that time period. Examples of ancient Greek literature that depicts social, religious, cultural, and moral theories that represent ancient Greek society include Aristophane’s Lysistrata and Homer’s The Iliad. The ancient Greek story and definition of life eventually come to life through societal elements like war, love, bravery, and the position of women, and this reconciles the actions of the ancient characters. Since the ancient Greek society embraced art works and literal techniques, it is the society’s sequence of deeds and the explanation behind the actions that tell the ancient Greek story. The Iliad and Lysistrata have a big influence to the morals, taboos, ideologies and attitude of the ancient Greek people.

The Vice of War in Ancient Greek Tales

Most of the ancient Greek tales commence and thrive of the vice of war which is the central area of interest that defines the onset of conflict. In Lysistrata there is war between Athens and Sparta which is the point of emphasis. The war brings about a state of lawlessness and anguish in the society. Lysistrata summons the other women in in front of Akropolis (Taylor, 25). It is through the war that Lysistrata comes out with an alternative view point that will restore normalcy and a state of balance in the society. Although naturally war results to divisiveness and anarchism, in the ancient Greek tales war is a unifying tool as it unified the Greek women in Lysistrata. Through the Iliad on the other hand, the ancient Greek culture is celebrating war as evidenced by the names given to the war heroes like, “Dimondes of the great war cry” and “Hector of the shinning Helm” among other heroic names. On the other hand, characters that shy away from war are ridiculed and despised. In both Lysistrata and the Iliad the men are reluctant to stop the war as it symbolizes glory and might in the ancient Greek society.

The Role of Women in Ancient Greek Society

Through the ancient Greek tales, the readers and analysts of the Greek work get to know and understand the role that women had in the ancient Greek society. In Airstophane’s Lysistrata, the role of the women in the ancient Greek society emanates and is represented by Lysistrata. Although from the outside the women are oppressed and ignored, they are attached to the central argument and theme in Lysistrata. The war in Lysistrata is getting out of hand and hence, the women discover that they have the power to bring the war to an end. In the beginning of the Play, Lysistrata speaks to Kleonike a fellow woman and explains that, it is only the women that could end the Athens versus Spartans war. Even Kleoniek who is a woman seems to be in doubt and explains to Lysistrata that, the only roles that the women have is to dress up and look gleeful for their husbands. In discontent Lysistrata tells Kleonike that, “I’m positively ashamed to be a woman” an indication that being a woman in the ancient Greek culture entailed a lot of stereotype (Aristophanes & Ewans, 52). Just like in Lysistrata, in the Iliad the women from the central reason for the aggravation of the war between the Achaeans and the Trojans. The capture of Chryseis and Briseis from the central argument of the Iliad. The two women were the reason that a plague struck the Achaean army and killed many soldiers necessitating Agamemnon the Achaean King to return Chrysies but took Briseis who was Achilles’s. The conflict brought by the women directs the fate of the Achaean army to the ultimate demise of Hector and the rejoining of Achilles to the war.

The Iconic Presence of Athens in Ancient Greek Society

Both the Iliad and Lysistrata acknowledge and treasure the iconic presence of Athens which served as their central hub for social, cultural, political and even religious activities. It is in Athens that most of the Ancient Greek people found solace and a sense of belonging. Most of the ancient Greek was were centered in either the conquering of Athens or recapturing of the same. Lysistrata waits for the women of Sparta and Athens to meet her and indication that they were some of the main two opposing sides that dominate the ancient Greek world. The presence of Athens was mainly iconic in the ancient Greece society as it involved worshiping the Gods like Dionysus and Zeus. According to Roisman (27), the gods played a pivotal role in shaping and determining the fate of different Greek people. In Lysistrata for instance, the women danced and celebrated the festival of “Bacchos” in the streets so as to appease the gods. In the same way in the Iliad, the gods play an important role. An instance is the reference to Xanthus the god of the stream that in angered by Achilles foe felling many people into the stream. Achilles’s mother Thetis is a god and in the ancient tale, she comes in contact with other gods like Zeus who is the king of the gods. The presence of the ancient gods described the human nature of the ancient Greek people in relation to their need for exernal assistance in their grievances. The cities like Athens and Sparta are some of the central points of reference to the ancient Greek society. The gods equally offered divine intervention to the ancient Greek people whenever human abilities were not possible.

The Influence of War and Women in Ancient Greek Society

The ancient Greek societies and attitudes were a direct replica of their status quo. War for instance defines and mints the ancient Greek’s existence and continuity. Through ancient tales like Lysistrata and The Iliad, war emerges as the focal point that explains the context and gives explanations to the status quo for the ancient Greek people. For example, in both the Iliad and Lysistrata it is only through war that the two societies and their people can get peace and redefine their purpose. The roles of women in the ancient Greek societies are also of importance. In Lysistrata for instance, through the conversation of Lysistrata and Kleonike, we get a vivid image of how the ancient Greek society perceived and endorsed the women as opposed to the men. Although the society despised the women, it is evident that the women had an inner strength that counter attacked the men’s physical abilities. Through the ancient cities like Athens both The Iliad and Lysistrata the cultural, social, political and religious realms of the ancient Greek people come to life. Most of the wars, ancient Greek tales and religious ceremonies were conducted in Athens which was the central hub for the Greek culture and ideologies.

Works cited

Aristophanes, Michael Ewans, Aristophanes, Aristophanes, and Aristophanes. Lysistrata: The Women’s Festival; And, Frogs. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2010.

Roisman, Joseph. Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander: The Evidence. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Print.

Taylor, Philip M. Munitions of the Mind: A History of Propaganda from the Ancient World to the Present Day. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2003