The Socio-Political Implications of the Portrayal of Women in Aristophanes' 'Women Plays'

Abstract

Literary records representing women in the ancient Athenian society are heavily dependant on the writings of men and that has influenced the portrayal of women. However, the ancient Athenian society has some outstanding similarities and differences in areas such as: the performance of rituals, family life and shared values in the society. The positions of women in the Athenian society are characterized by male domination. From childhood the girl comes under the authority of her father and upon marriage that of her husband. Throughout a woman’s life she remains under the subordination of a man and she is expected to work without complaint. The objective of this work is: to collect passages from Aristophanes’ three ‘women plays’ namely Lysistrata, Thesmophoriazusae and Ecclesiazusae because these plays are deemed to represent Aristophanes’ detailed portrayal of Athenian women. The depiction of women in the plays reflects the general view of women during the fourth and fifth centuries BC. Then there would be analyses of the implications that arose from their portrayal such as their roles as wives, mothers and intruding into the public sphere of men (assembly) that comes to the fore in the plays. It is pertinent to remember that the representation of women on stage is the representation of a male’s interpretation of women, since men played all parts in the play. I conclude that Aristophanes’ portrayal of Athenian women should be accepted with some caution since not all of his portrayal can be said to have truly represented women.