Costumes

While reading Lysistrata, it was somewhat interesting to me to imagine what the costumes for this production were like. While reading, I was disappointed to find little reference to the costumes. There are some points where the women's clothing is described as well as the garments of both the Koryphaios and the Choruses. However, these scenes leave little room for interpretation and are more a part of the general idea of the separation of man and woman (for example, the tunics between the two choruses). A scene which I enjoyed involved the veil of Lysistrata. While Lysistrata is attempting to explain her plan for the Treasury to the Commissioner, he states he cannot listen to a woman wearing a veil. At this point, Lysistrata removes her veil and places it on the Commissioner. As the veil is the garment of a woman it is comical to see it on a man. This action on the part of Lysistrata demonstrates the veil as the women's sign of inferiority. Another reference to clothing is in the description of the women's attire. The garments and the lingerie described and discussed between the women demonstrates how they are in-tune with their feminity. One woman in particular who is excited about her feminine garments in Kleonike. It is as if the garments for the women represent their ability to express themselves and their feminine nature. For women like Kleonike, the garments are exciting to the women as it allows them to excite their men and show off their bodies. These two references to the characters' costumes proved most interesting to me.