Names ( Lysistrata, Bernarda, Hedda Gabler)

Looking at these three names, they all share the same connotations of powerful, controlling, leader, maybe manipulator, or some time of head figure. Looking at the name Lysistrata, I found that she is a leader and she uses her power to control others, and I also found " lyrisist" out of her name, which could imply that she uses her words to control and manipulate others. Bernarda, as well all know, is a manly and manipulative figure, because her name is part man, and she also uses her power to control others. Likewise, Hedda Gabler uses her power in order to control George, and from her name I got " Head Of", which implies that she is powerful and a leader.

Lysistrata, Bernarda, Hedda Gabler

Looking at these three women, they all share a common themes, power & control. Lysistrata uses her power to get the men to stop the war, and controls them by being abstinent from sex. Bernarda uses her power to control her daughters' lives, and Hedda Gabler uses her power to control George and to also attain what she wants. Overall, these three women use their power in order to control others, and to get what they want.

Birds and its significance.

In Lysistrata, there was a place in the book where the women were compared to birds. I think this is significant because it shows that the women can stick together through any adversity or issue, and lead their family to safety. If you think about how birds fly together, in a V-shape, that shows that the leader, and in this case Lysistrata, lead her pact to victory and safety, but also stuck together with them, and never let them down.

What if??

What if the tables were turned, and the men would have become abstinent, would the women have given in and had those "feelings" so quickly? I think that the women would have been able to withstand the abstinence due to the fact that they had the will power to do it themselves against the men. If they have the power to abstain from the men, then they should have no problem if the tables were turned, but they already have experience.

24 hrs.........wow....really???

Oh-em-gee, do you mean to tell me that the men couldn't even last 24 hrs before they started to go crazy and bounce off the walls???!! That must mean that the men either have it daily or they are just fiends. Yet, looking at this more deeply, what does this actually symbolize? I think it symbolizes that the women have so much power physically, that the men couldn't withstand a full day before they wanted it. This just goes to show that " Life with women is hell. Life without women is hell too."

This means WAR!!!! Spartan vs. Athenias

In Lysistrata, not only is their use of sex, but the use of war is prominent due to the fact that it controls so many aspects of the lives of the people. It controls the women in a way because it is so bad and harmful, that the women want to stop it. SO the war has control because it caused the women to want to end it. Moreover, the war controls the men because the men have to fight in the war in order to protect their people. So, basically, the men do it because it is their duty. Lastly, the war controls the society as a whole because it involves them and their resources (money, armor, food, etc), which controls the people.

S...e....x......or lack there of and the control over men

In Lysistrata, the women use their bodies in order to control the men and to get them to make them end the war. This shows that the women have control over themselves in order to remain abstinent, and control over the men so that they get what they want. What amazes me is that it wasn't even 24 hrs yet, and the men were still jumping off the walls. It just goes to show....Never underestimate the power of a woman because we can be powerful beings and use ourselves to achieve what we want.

Greek Reference

Throughout Lysistrata, there is constant reference to Greek names and things in general. Things such as Aristophanes, Spartan, Athenians, peloponnesian, koryphaios, etc, represent the time period and the issues that surrounded that period. Moreover, the Greek reference connects and explains the cover of Lysistrata due to the fact that the women dressed in longer and more simple clothing, and the instrument that one women is holding in her hand, suggests the time period of the Grecians, and how they lived during that time. Overall, the Greek reference illustrates the the Greek era and how their society functioned.

Peace....what does it ACTUALLY represent??

From reading the section about " Peace", it amazes me how the men want a piece of Peace ( no pun intended :) . From the beginning, Peace was a naked female, who Lysistrata used in order to get the men to make a treaty with each other. Essentially, she used Peace to get the men to want Peace as a way of life and to stop the war; However, the men took Peace a totally different direction. " ....but that's the purtiest behind..." " and down to the Megara for the legs" " You cain't take all of thet! Yore plumb out of yore mind! "peace moves from her place by the gates to Lysistrata. The delegations goggle at her. Indicating Peace " Never saw one I wanted so much to top." are some quotes and stage directions which demonstrate how Peace was perceived by the men and the women. The women used peace as a woman ( which they have been craving for LESS than 24 hrs), to lure the men into Peace as a new way of life, without the war.

Covers ( Ibsen and Lysistrata)

As I previously mentioned, the covers of Lysistrata and Ibsen have similar characteristics. Both share the colors of Orange and Yellow and women by some body of water, whether it be a pond or ocean. Yet, they are similar in a very in another way; they both contain the theme of women having power and using it to control others. Specifically with Hedda Gabler, she used her power to control George and manipulating him into to using his aspired wealth to get her whatever she desires. Likewise, in Lysistrata, she uses her power to control the men and stop them from fighting in the war. So, the covers of both stories could represent the women and their control, being that the women are the majority on the covers, and they use their power to receive what they want out of the men, and women.