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영어

This study explores how Aristophanes’ Lysistrata conveys the theme of peace through the imaginative staging of actions deemed impossible in its historical context. Central to this impossibility are the protagonist’s orchestration of a sex strike and the women’s seizure of the Acropolis treasury to end the Peloponnesian War. These elements functioned as sharp satire targeting elite war advocates. By deploying such comedic devices, Aristophanes crafted a form of public discourse that criticized the war’s injustice and advocated for peace. The play asserts that public and private spheres are important and domestic life holds political significance. By presenting the idea of women’s political agency—an unthinkable notion at the time—on the Athenian stage, Aristophanes effectively utilized theater’s civic function. This study begins with the question of why Aristophanes chose to depict such impossibilities and argues that these elements were employed to stimulate political reflection and raise awareness of peace as a viable alternative. Ultimately, it contends that the imaginative representation of the impossible served as a medium for cultivating anti-war sentiment, fostering civic consciousness, and momentarily liberating the audience from the anxiety of prolonged conflict.