Similarities Between Euripides And Lysistrata

Euripides and Aristophanes, two authors who attempted to write about the female experience in Greek society. Euripides was a Greek dramatist who wrote his play Medea, from the perspective of a woman who is miserable in her subordinate role in life. While Aristophanes was an Athenian comic playwright, who wrote Lysistrata, from his own perspective of the women's revolt during the Peloponnesian War. Both authors paint an interesting picture of how women were viewed during this time, with many similarities between them. These stories may not be facts straight out of a history book, but they are plays written during the time of these events. The lack of discrepancies between the two plays, does create a solid case for readers trust that women's lives were really like this.
Euripides begins his passage writing in the voice of a woman who was sent away by her husband.
She speaks of how miserable it is to be a woman. How she is seen as more of an object to be dealt with, instead of a human to be respected and listened to. She has no rights, no valued opinion, and no say in her marriage. If she does find a man, she is sworn to him forever, even though he may be unfaithful. " A man, when he's tired of the company in his home, Goes out of the house and puts an end to his boredom And turns to a friend or companion of his own age. But we are forced to keep our eyes on one alone" (Sources, 65). This play was written in the attitude of heartache. Though written by a man, Medea, is very sympathetic of the views of women. Leading readers to believe that Euripides is not only aware of the treatment of Greek women, but remorseful for this as
well.
Aristophanes, unlike Euripides, wrote Lysistrata in his own male perspective of women. During the Peloponnesian War, women were fed up with how they were being treated and wanted their opinions to be heard. They were tired of their husbands unsuccessful war strategies, and planned to resolve this by refusing certain intimacies until they made peace. The women in this play are willing to go to such great lengths to be heard. This supports Euripides statements on how women were considered subordinate and unopinionated. They were tired of being ignored and having to listen to their husbands drone on about the war. " Because of our natural self restraint, we women have tolerated you men ever since this war began. We tolerated you and kept our thoughts to ourselves. But that does not mean we were happy with you. We knew you all too well (Sources, 68). This play was also written by a man, but still gives a clear picture of the lack of respect for women, by demonstrating their willingness to finale stand up for themselves. It is written not in heartache, but empowerment. The women in this play stand firm in their attempt for peace and the acknowledgement of their intelligence.
Two very different stories are told by way of Euripides and Aristophanes, but ultimately with the same idea of women. Both showcase the negative connotations that come with being a Greek woman without sugar coating it. They admit that women are treated lesser compared to men, and present this as the norm. Are these just stories and not actually factual events? That is unsure. But, these writers have no reason to fabricate the ideas behind these stories. The passages themselves could be completely fabricated, but the similarities between the two on the view of women, are too similar. That is why I think the stories could be fictional, but the descriptions true. The biggest proof of this being who wrote the plays. Two men wrote them. If a woman had written these passages, there could be an argument that the stories were exaggerated. That she wrote them for her own personal vendetta. But this is not the case.
Similarities and differences aside, I don't know if these plays are one hundred percent truthful to women's realities in Greece. But, I would argue that they are pretty close. It's no secret that throughout history women have had to fight for their equality to men. I think that is what is being demonstrated in these plays. These two authors are simply creating their own stories about the culture they know. The stories don’t have to be necessarily true, but the attitudes within them can be. Quoting these plays in a thesis may not be a good idea, but putting yourself in the shoes of the women in them, could give a greater respect for the female struggle.