Assemblywomen Summary

Assemblywomen is a comedy written by the Greek playwright Aristophanes in 391 BC. The play imagines a world where the women of Athens take control of the government. They introduce new laws that get rid of private wealth and ensure that older, less attractive people have the same rights to love as everyone else. Along with its political and social satire, the play is full of jokes about sex and bodily functions. Aristophanes used this play to criticize how the Athenian government was taking people's land and wealth at the time.

Summary

The play begins before sunrise on a street in Athens. Praxagora steps out of a house, dressed like a man. She wears a fake beard, men’s clothing, and carries a walking stick and a lantern. One by one, other Athenian women join her, all dressed the same way. Some of them have tanned their skin and stopped shaving their armpits to appear more like men. One woman brings a basket of yarn to do some work while they wait, but Praxagora scolds her, saying it will ruin their disguise.

The women are nervous about their plan, but Praxagora encourages them. They practice speaking like men so they can attend the assembly. However, they struggle to act convincingly. They swear by Demeter and Persephone instead of Apollo, call each other “ladies,” and complain about their itchy clothes and thirst. Praxagora gets frustrated and decides she is the only one who can give a speech at the assembly. She rehearses a speech criticizing the corrupt male leaders of Athens, accusing them of being selfish, warmongering, and stealing public money. She argues that the city should be ruled by women because, after all, they manage their households well. She says women work harder, respect traditions, and avoid unnecessary changes. As mothers, they will take better care of soldiers and ensure they get extra food. As clever negotiators, they will bring in more money for the city. The women admire Praxagora’s speech and ask how she became such a good speaker. She explains that she learned by listening to orators while living with her husband near the Pnyx, where the Athenian assembly meets. They discuss how to deal with opposition and practice raising their hands to vote. Then, they leave for the assembly before dawn, hoping to receive pay and a free meal. The chorus of women expresses their determination before exiting the stage.

Praxagora’s husband, Blepyrus, comes out of their house wearing her nightgown and slippers. He is old and urgently needs to relieve himself but couldn’t find his clothes in the dark. Squatting in the street, he complains about his constipation. His neighbor arrives, and they realize that both their wives and their clothes are missing. Then, Chremes, who just returned from the assembly, joins them. He explains that he wasn’t paid because the assembly was unusually crowded with pale-faced shoemakers—actually the disguised women. He describes how Praxagora, mistaken for a handsome young man, gave a speech about why women should rule. She argued that women keep secrets better, return borrowed items fairly, avoid lawsuits, and don’t try to overthrow the democracy. Blepyrus agrees with these points. The men are happy they no longer have to attend the assembly and can sleep in, but they are not thrilled about having to provide sex in exchange for their breakfast.

The chorus of women, still disguised, returns from the assembly, trying not to attract attention. When Praxagora comes back, Blepyrus accuses her of sneaking off with a lover because she has his cloak. She claims she was just helping a friend in labor and needed the cloak for warmth. She pretends to be surprised when Blepyrus tells her about the assembly’s decision, but she immediately lists reasons why it was a good idea. Praxagora explains the details of the new government. She proposes banning private property and making everyone earn the same wage so that everyone will have an equal standard of living. She says no one will need personal wealth because all necessities will come from a shared public fund. She also announces a new rule about relationships: people will be free to sleep with anyone, but they must first sleep with the less attractive members of the opposite sex before they can be with the attractive ones. Children will be raised by the community, and fathers will not be identified. Slaves will work in the fields, and new clothes will be made only when needed. Lawsuits will disappear because there will be no debt or poverty. Punishments for crimes will involve reducing the criminal’s food rations. Since everyone will have what they need, theft will no longer exist. Walls inside homes will be torn down, and everyone will live together in shared spaces. Public buildings, like courthouses and porticos, will be turned into communal dining halls. Prostitutes will lose their jobs, but slaves will not be allowed to sleep with free men.

In the next scene, Blepyrus’ neighbor places his household items outside to contribute to the common fund. Then, a selfish man arrives and mocks him for following the new rules. The selfish man says he will wait to see if others donate their belongings first before giving up anything himself. He doesn’t trust the assembly’s decisions, as they often fail. Then, a town herald arrives, announcing a grand feast for everyone. The selfish man wants to join the feast but is reminded that since he hasn’t donated anything, he isn’t entitled to the benefits of the new system. After the neighbor leaves to contribute his belongings, the selfish man admits that he plans to keep his wealth while still enjoying the free dinner.

In another scene, a young woman waits for her boyfriend, Epigenes, while an old woman searches for a date. The young and old women exchange crude insults before going inside their homes. Epigenes arrives, upset about the new laws on relationships. He and the young woman express their love for each other but are interrupted by the old woman. She reminds Epigenes that he must sleep with her first before he can be with the young woman. As they argue, two more old women arrive and drag Epigenes away against his will.

In the final scene, a drunken maid enters, praising the quality of Thasian wine and celebrating the new laws. She is looking for Blepyrus to take him to a feast at Praxagora’s request. She finds Blepyrus already on his way to dinner, happily walking with two young women. They all go to the feast together while the chorus sings about the lavish meal they are about to enjoy.

Themes Analysis

1. Political Satire and Critique of Democracy

The play mocks the inefficiency and corruption of Athenian democracy. The women, disguised as men, successfully take over the assembly, highlighting how easily the system can be manipulated.

Praxagora’s speech criticizes male politicians for their greed and warmongering, suggesting that an alternative rule (by women) could be superior.

However, Aristophanes also satirizes utopian political ideas, demonstrating how radical reforms often lead to absurd consequences.

2. Gender Roles and Feminism

The play challenges traditional gender roles by portraying women as capable political leaders, but it also exaggerates their rule to a comedic extreme.

The women’s initial struggles to act like men (swearing by female deities, carrying baskets of yarn) humorously highlight gender norms.

Praxagora’s argument that women manage households better than men serves as both a critique of male governance and a reinforcement of domestic gender roles.

3. Utopian Communism and Economic Reform

The new system eliminates private property, introduces equal wages, and enforces communal living.

While these ideas reflect utopian socialism, Aristophanes satirizes their impracticality. The selfish man’s reluctance to contribute and his attempt to exploit the system mirror real-world challenges to communal economies.

The redistribution of wealth is portrayed humorously, showing how greed and self-interest persist even in supposed egalitarian societies.

4. Sexual Politics and Social Control

The law requiring people to sleep with unattractive individuals before attractive ones is a grotesque parody of state-controlled relationships.

The scene where Epigenes is dragged away by old women mocks enforced equality, suggesting that state interference in personal desires leads to absurd outcomes.

The idea of communal child-rearing and abolishing paternity is another exaggerated element that critiques radical social engineering.

Structure and Comedy

The play follows the typical structure of Old Comedy, including:

1.      Prologue (women planning their takeover)

2.      Agon (Praxagora’s speech persuading the assembly)

3.      Parabasis (the chorus celebrating their success)

4.      Series of comic episodes (various citizens reacting to the new laws)

5.      Final celebratory scene (a feast with drunken revelry)

The humor arises from:

1.      Absurd exaggeration (women taking over government, enforced sexual equality)

2.      Role reversals (men reduced to passive figures, forced to comply with new rules)

3.      Satirical dialogues (the selfish man’s reluctance, the old woman harassing Epigenes)

Significance

Ecclesiazusae reflects Aristophanes’ continued engagement with political and social issues, following his earlier plays like Lysistrata (which also features women taking political action).

It provides insight into Athenian attitudes toward governance, gender, and communalism.

The play remains relevant as a critique of both flawed democracies and utopian ideologies.