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Lysistrata is a story that outlines a plan made by women in ancient Greece to put an end to the Peloponnesian War
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Introduction
Lysistrata is a story that outlines a plan made by women in ancient Greece to put an end to the Peloponnesian War. A woman named Lysistrata comes up with a plan and incites fellow women to take part in it. This plan entails starving their husbands sexually so that they can come to a speedy conclusion. At first, the women are reluctant to take part in the plan saying that their husbands may beat them or force them to have sex. Eventually, they agreed not to give in to their husbands’ advances, forcing the men going to war to petition their leaders to make a pact. It is noteworthy that, at the play’s tail end, it is Lysistrata who is called to make the treaty between Athens and Sparta. This is a fictional part in the play as women did not have any voting privileges in ancient Greece.
1.
Lysistrata takes up the role of Alazon, the imposter or self-deceiving braggart. It is worth noting that as much as Lysistrata gives directions to the women on how to deal with their husbands, she does not participate in seizing Akropolis or even the sex strike. She does not seem to exhibit sexual desire or even have a husband or lover.
The Commissioner of Public Safety takes the role of Eiron. He is central to the contest since he holds the key to ending the war. It is worth noting that once the women overwhelm the policemen, Lysistrata tries to convince the Commissioner of Public Safety as to how easy it is to finish the war. Unfortunately, his self-derogatory and understating character blinds him from understanding the logic in Lysistrata’s words.
Kinesias takes up the role of bomolochos who is introduced to enhance the comic effect. He is the first person to be put down by the sex strike and is subjected to trickery by his wife. Kinesias is a misogynist, a poor father and a buffoon-extraordinaire. Kinesias, only looks for his wife because he is suffering from a painful erection. Not only is he unable to take care of his children, but his playful wife also outwits him.
2.
What makes the competition between the Chorus of old Men and the Chorus of the old Women is the fact that it pits two groups of people, with the one that comes out triumphant having been trampled upon for quite a long time. It is worth noting that, the old men had aimed at smoking the women out only to have their fire put out and even coming out wet. The pathetic part in the competition is where the men appear as if they had urinated on themselves as they had been dowsed with water (Aristophanes, 13). The LOL funny part in the competition is where the Scythian guard charged with the responsibility of tying Lysistrata’s hands defecates on himself after being threatened by Lysistrata.
3.
Aristophanes convinces his audience as to the role that war plays, as well as the things that trigger the war. It is noteworthy that, the leaders of the two countries are able to come together and find a lasting solution to the war once the women starve their husbands of sex. They look at the things that bring them together rather than the things that divide them, thereby finding a lasting solution to the war. The depiction of women and men as sexually rapacious does not come in the way of the satire as it shows that women and men have equal needs, or rather need each other and complement each other. The introduction of Peace serves to show or bring out the deep desires of the men. As much as they have been fighting, they have always yearned for peace and the prospect of having peace is enough to make them make a lasting treaty. This satisfy’s use of the name Peace.
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The play revolves around the resolution of the war between Athenians and Spartans. However, the opposing groups in this case are women and men. Men are concerned about victory in wars between nations, while women would want a restoration of peace so that their lives as families can be the same. In essence, the women use sex as their main weapon so as to imbue some sense in their men. Men, on the other hand, use force to suppress the voices of women as shown by the magistrate. The magistrate tries to quell the victory of the chorus of women over the chorus of old men through the use of force, only to have himself dowsed with water (Aristophanes, 26). Wool is used as a symbol of the intricacies surrounding societies. Lysistrata uses the metaphor to show how the matters between the two warring communities should be resolved. She talks of cleansing the people, ensuring that there is equality, and then bringing people together through the convergence of their interests.
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Aristophanes uses the play to ridicule the selfishness of the people in Athens and Sparta. It is worth noting that even when the women were invited to take part in the sex-strike, they were unwilling not only because of the resistance of their husbands but because of their own sexual urges. To them, their sexual satisfaction comes before the welfare of their entire nations. In fact, the simplicity with which the leaders come to a treaty arouses the question as to whether there truly was any reason to fight. In addition, it is worth noting that the men only petition the magistrate and their leaders to make a pact after they were denied sex.
Works cited
Aristophanes. Lysistrata. The EServer Drama Collection, Web 2012 retrieved 22nd July 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://drama.eserver.org/plays/classical/aristophanes/lysistrata.txt” http://drama.eserver.org/plays/classical/aristophanes/lysistrata.txt
(Aristophanes)
A Review of No. 78 Hamilton
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A Review of No. 78 Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton sought to explain the powers and duties of the American judiciary department as proposed in the Article III of the Federal Constitution. Hamilton through the Federalist paper 78 sought to highlight what the Constitution had in mind about the composition of the federal courts. Through the Federalist paper 78, Hamilton was explaining to the American citizens that the judiciary had its role to play and would not end up going out of control in execution of its mandate. He did this by explaining to the public that the powers of the judiciary would have checks and balances to ensure that they play a leading role in the running of the constitutional government.
In the Federalist paper No. 78 commonly known as No. 78 Hamilton, Hamilton presents two major arguments about the proposed Judiciary structure. The first argument about the structure of the judiciary is to guarantee its autonomy from other arms of the government, legislature and the executive. In arguing the need for an independent judiciary, Hamilton concluded that there was the need for the strengthening of the Judiciary to ensure it is independent. He proposed that the judiciary should be provided with more power that can enable it to oversee the functioning of the legislature. It should be empowered to ensure that it could have powers to declare laws passed by Congress as null and void if it deems them ‘contrary to the manifest tenor of the American constitution.’
In the Federalist paper No. 78, Hamilton suggested the need to empower the judiciary so it would protect the rights and privileges of the citizens. Hamilton argued that the main function of a judiciary in a democratic country is to protection of the rights and privileges of citizens as outlined in the Constitution. In advancing the argument on how the judiciary will ensure the protection of the rights and privileges of citizens, he wanted the judiciary to have powers to review laws. He argued that powers of Judicial Review would ensure that the courts can be able to critically analyze laws passed by the Congress and declare those that are unconstitutional null and void. In responding to those who criticized the need for the judiciary to have Judicial Review powers, Hamilton argued that the role of the judiciary is to ensure that Congress is a servant of the American constitution and the citizens.
The term ‘Judicial Review’ is not mentioned in the American constitution though it got it legitimacy from a Supreme Court ruling in 1803. In the case of Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S (1 Cranch) 137, 2 L. Ed. 60, the American Supreme Court declared an act of Congress null and void. This ruling by the Supreme Court in 1803 has been used in many cases by the courts to give judicial review legitimacy. Critics have been quick to term the judicial review powers as ‘judicial activism’ arguing that the judiciary has been used in overturning Acts of Congress without the due process being followed.
I think the most important part of the ‘Federalist paper No. 78’ is where it states that, ‘the Constitution ought to be preferred to the statute, the intention of the people to the intention of their agents.’ This statement emphasizes the supremacy of the Constitution over the acts of Congress or any other statutes. It also acknowledges the supremacy of the citizens over their elected representatives in the Congress. This provision ensures that in its conduct, the judiciary should always uphold the supremacy of the Constitution over other statutes. It also reminds the judicial officers that, the citizens’ will always prevails over that of their elected representatives.
Black Pride and Unity
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Black Pride and Unity
The essay, “The Negro Digs Up His Past”, was among the works of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, in which he provided his views regarding the Negros’ history. The essay was written in the year 1925 to disapprove the claim that the black people have no history, and it is through this claim that the author bases his arguments to show the significance of recording the collective achievements by the Africans. Black pride and unity is, therefore, the primary theme that can be traced from the essay as the author puts forth various claims to which make it evident that the Africans do have a history and to which they are entitled to fight for to regain their identity.
Schomburg states at the beginning of his essay that “The American Negro must remark his past in order to make his future” (Schomburg, 670). Based on the above statement, the author emphasizes the importance of the African American to trace their origin and history so that they can mark their future. A generation or race that does not document their history has no chances of being proud in future as they are not bound to any culture of their own but rather depend on assimilation by other major cultures. The statement is a clear depiction that the American Negro should not only trace back and document their past, but also be proud of their culture as a common source of their identity and heritage.
Schomburg further urges the African Americans not to be comfortable for being in the American soil, a country that people doesn’t bother about their past, the Negros should not be in comfort like the other races in the American nation as it should be of prime necessity for the American Negro to trace their past. Schomburg states that “Though it is orthodox to think of America as the one country where it is unnecessary to have a past, what is a luxury for the nation as a whole becomes a prime social necessity for the Negro.” (Schomburg, 670). From the statement above, the author says that Negros have to dig deeper into their history for their affirmation from the continued oppression and discrimination. The Negros should not be comfortable and let other people define them and judge them the wrong way, they should not see it as a luxury lining in a foreign land but should find it more comfortable to trace their deep culture that marks their history to avoid being oppressed for lack of a past. The process of discovering the past is not an individual journey, but a collective process that calls for the union of all the Negros and this is an excellent affirmation of the black unity and pride.
Schomburg uses the works of other individuals to portray the significance of back pride. For example, Jupiter Hammon’s work of 1787, addressed to the Negros residing in New York State, emphasizing the need for black pride and identity, “If we should ever get to Heaven, we shall find nobody to reproach us for being back, or for being slaves” (Schomburg, 671). From the above statement, the author tries to sensitize the people of black origin that there is no one to blame for being black and that there will be nobody to question why they are slaves facing oppression and discrimination. It is through this that he wants the Negros to be proud of their identity for being black and fight against their oppression citing that there will be no one to be questioned or responsible for their mistreatments. For this, they should, therefore, take action and liberate themselves from the hands of the oppressor and as well accept their identity as being black.
In a way to demonstrate unity and pride among the people of color, Schomburg uses the case of the campaign against and the abolition of the slave trade. He states that “Just as black men were influential factors in the campaign against the slave trade, so they were among the earliest instigators of the abolition movement” (Schomburg, 671). Here the author shows that the Negros also have a past especially in fighting against the slave trade and played a vital role to its abolition as well as the setting of a free nation where the slaves could be settled.
In conclusion, Schomburg has illustrated through various incidences that the Negros need not complain about their color but be proud as they have a rich culture that is distinct from the rest. He further states that the Negros should not be in comfort when they are oppressed and that they should stand up in unity, just like during the fight against the slave trade and fight against their oppression. Schomburg argues through other works that the Negros will have no one to blame for their mistreatments, discrimination and oppression, neither for being black and therefore should stand firm and fight for their identity, in their realization of black pride and unity.
Work Cited
Schomburg, Arthur A. “The Negro digs up his past.” The New Negro 1975 (1925).