Lysistrata (Signet Classics)
by Aristophanes
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Book Summary Information
Author: AristophanesTranslator: Douglass Parker
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-03-01
ISBN: 0451527895
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Signet Classics
Book Reviews of Lysistrata (Signet Classics)
Book Review: One way to end a war
Summary: 4 Stars
Until now, I had known Lysistrata only by reputation. What can I say - I should have read it myself long since. This play seems to offer everything. It goes beyond just bawdy, but never turns salacious. It's got silly wordplay, but real social commentary. The battle of the sexes is about real battle this time, and Aristophanes fires a few well-aimed shots at both the men and the women. It's a classic of the Western canon, but amusing and readable. Also, for those who dread literature that's "good for them," it's short. The script comes in under 100 pages, and they're not dense pages.
As I said, this is a modern rendering full of wordplay and chants for the traditional Greek chorus. I'm afraid that the easy, humorous style puts me on edge, though. If a play starts in classical Greek, then ends up in modern English with proper rhyme, scansion, and dialect(!), I know the translator has taken some serious liberties with the libretto. Still I'm torn. Which is more important, academic integrity in creating a version for English readers, or being true to the popular, funny, bawdy tone that Aristophanes intended? I really can't answer that question.
It's a great play in a readable translation. There's a good bit of explanatory material, but not the kind that interferes with the flow of the play. I recommend this Lysistrata if you want the fun in the play, but I have reservations about the rigor of the translation.
//wiredweird
Summary of Lysistrata (Signet Classics)
Aristophanes' comic masterpiece of war and sex remains one of the greatest plays ever written. Led by the title character, the women of the warring city-states of Greece agree to withhold sexual favors with their husbands until they agree to cease fighting. The war of the sexes that ensues makes Lysistrata a comedy without peer in the history of theater.Classics Books
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