Lysistrata Lesson Plan

How do the roles of women in Athenian society, as described by Lysistrata, compare and contrast with the roles of women in the last work of literature you read for class?

In much of the history of Western literature, women's roles are "supposed" to be confined to the domestic, the emotional, and the sexual, with little regard for intellectual and/or political choices and thoughts. The trajectory of this conversation will, of course, depend on the last book or play you read in class, but students should consider how Lysistrata portrays women as confined to weaving and taking care of the house when, in fact, they have strong opinions on the society they live in and the choices...