Lysistrata Lesson Plan

Do the Athenians and the Spartans really want peace? Cite textual evidence to support your view. Does it matter whether they want peace? Why or why not?

Students should consider whether deciding to do something because you'll lose something else if you don't make that decision—e.g., the Athenians and Spartans choosing peace because they want sex—is the same as actually wanting the thing itself. If the strike ultimately achieves peace, do the ends justify the means? Are the Athenians and Spartans really confronting the women's sentiments towards broader society, made visible by the sex strike, or are they just giving in?

Why is Peace manifested as a naked female statue?...