What is the central idea of this passage?

A. Women must work very hard in the summer.

B. Women wish to marry soldiers.

C. Women have to spend their days consulting oracles.

D. Women must find husbands before they grow old.

Lysistrata

by Aristophanes (excerpt)

When the soldier returns from the wars, even though he has white hair, he very soon finds a young wife. But a woman has only one summer; if she does not make hay while the sun shines, no one will afterwards have anything to say to her, and she spends her days consulting oracles that never send her a husband.

Question

English

Aubrie Mills

16 December, 15:47

What is the central idea of this passage?

A. Women must work very hard in the summer.

B. Women wish to marry soldiers.

C. Women have to spend their days consulting oracles.

D. Women must find husbands before they grow old.

Lysistrata

by Aristophanes (excerpt)

When the soldier returns from the wars, even though he has white hair, he very soon finds a young wife. But a woman has only one summer; if she does not make hay while the sun shines, no one will afterwards have anything to say to her, and she spends her days consulting oracles that never send her a husband.

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Jimmy Ho · Answer 1

D. Women must find husbands before they grow old.

The terms "summer" and "sun shines" used in the passage are representative of youth. The passage essentially states that a woman has only one summer and must find a spouse while the sun shines, otherwise nobody will ever be with her. This use of language emphasizes the short amount of time a woman has to find a spouse while she's still youthful.