Lysistrata- Role Reversal

Throughout Lysistrata, Aristophanes plays with the stereotypical roles of both men and women.  During the time period of the play, women were not allowed to participate in pretty much anything; they were simply used as housewives.  Men, on the other hand, were the dominant sex.  They had power over the women in every aspect.  Aristophanes flips this idea in Lysistrata and allows the women to gain control over the men.  Kinesias becomes the prime example of the conventional, unintelligent male character, and Lysistrata is focused on as the female lead.

Kinesias is the first male to come looking for his wife in desperate need of sex.  He simply wants to use Myrrhine and tries to trick her to come down to him.  Using the baby as bait, Kinesias finally convinces Myrrhine to succumb to him and she goes down to see him.  However, she ends up tricking him and tempts him even further, leaving Kinesias wanting her more than ever.  Kinesias proves that he is a useless man, poor father, and can do nothing without his wife.  Aristophanes makes fun of the male sex through this worthless character. 

Lysistrata emerges as the women who can save them all.  Her brilliant plan apparently can save everyone.  However, before she even tells them her plan, all the women complain about how they miss their husbands because they are not ever at home.  How can her plan of withholding sex work if the husbands are never even around?  Also, there is never a mention of a man in Lysistrata’s life.  She does not have to participate in the sex strike, and also does not partake in the capture of the Akropolis.  She is a lot of talk, but no action.  She has so much power of the women and the men that she merely gains, but has to give nothing.  Nevertheless, she uses her power to save the people and proves that women are more useful than men.