Questions for Aristophanes regarding Lysistrata

1. What sorts of humor are in play?

What sorts of humor pleasure dynamics?

2. Is this play pos/neg about women? is it egali even proto-feminist? Does A merely reproduce stereotypical expectations? Does A demonstrate any real sympathy for female situation?

3. What is this play saying about war? Is it pacifist or even anti-war?

4. What is A saying about democracy? Democratic values, respect for authority, commitment to deliberation or talking?

5. What specifically is the political problem that concerns A?

6. What is the political solution?

7. Does humor assist his serious communicative task, persuading the audience to entertain the solution? Distract from it?