Lysistrata: Sex is About Power

"Everything is about sex. Except sex. Sex is about power"

The above quote by Francis Underwood, from the Netflix series House of Cards, is all I could think about while reading this play.  Using sex as a power-play for control is displayed front and center in this work. On page 444 of our text, Lysistrata instructs Peace to bring the "inflamed" men over to negotiate and to "conduct them by the handle," if she must.  Yep, doesn't get more controlling than that, does it?

"Ha ha, those dumb Greeks. They must be really stupid to be affected so easily by the women's plot."  But wait, the passage of time is not clearly reflected during the play's actions. and to say that the Greek men were dumb or stupid would naturally imply that we are better than they are.

But are we really? Are we actually smarter, more sophisticated, or in more control of our most basic desires? I don't think so...

Let's look to a more modern form of entertainment: the sitcom.  Most sitcoms feature an episode where its characters attempt to prove that they are "masters of their domain"  or another character uses threats to turn best friends against each other.  Comedies with sex as a display of power and control is just as relevant now as it was 2,400 years ago.


UPDATE: Hello, class. Totally ignore page 342 of our text when reading my post. Especially the part that says, "[The Greeks] invested sex with little transcendental significance..."  because it completely discredits my entire last paragraph.  Nevertheless, I am leaving it here for you to read and comment on. What do you expect?  I'm not an expert on ancient Greek society!


But wait, just once more.  Was Lysistrata's plan just to withhold sex, or to withhold love?  I understand that you have the ability to love something or someone without trying to procreate (I hope), but we are talking about the one true way of expressing your love for someone physically.  That is not something that can be taken lightly.  There is a connection between these two love birds that is established.  This is a connection that transcends mere words, and to have it ignored would surely be one of the most emotionally painful and soul-crushing ordeals.