The Ecclesiazusae Literary Elements

The Ecclesiazusae Literary Elements

Genre

Comedy

Language

Greek

Setting and Context

Greece 391 BC

Narrator and Point of View

POV is that of Praxagora

Tone and Mood

Comedic, dramatic

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist is Praxagora. Antagonist is the Assembly

Major Conflict

Praxagora wants the Assembly to allow women to rule as they would be better suited to doing so than the men.

Climax

The women win the vote to be in power and the “ugly” of the city begin to prey upon the beautiful in order that they would follow the statute that beautiful people must sleep with the ugly before they can be with anyone beautiful.

Foreshadowing

Praxagora’s speech foreshadows her winning over the Assembly.

Understatement

It is understated that the women represent the Republic leadership and their lack of strength in their ability to govern a people.

Allusions

The play is an allusion to the Republic being in danger as it is lead by weak men.

Imagery

Lantern swinging in the dark.

Paradox

The women win the ability to rule, but paradoxically their statutes cause the people to act in an unruly manner; we see this in the elderly woman demanding that the young man sleep with her.

Parallelism

Praxagora practicing her speech and winning over the women parallels her winning over the entire Assembly.

Personification

The people of the Republic become the personification of lust at the end of the play.

Use of Dramatic Devices

The Chorus of women that follow and support Praxagora.

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