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Understanding Catharsis in Tragedy

Catharsis, derived from the Greek word 'Kathaireen', refers to the cleansing of emotions and is discussed in Aristotle's 'Poetics'. It encompasses three meanings: purgation, purification, and clarification, with various interpretations by critics over time, including medical metaphors and psychological explanations. The function of catharsis in tragedy is to provide emotional relief and intellectual clarification, allowing audiences to experience and learn from the emotions of pity and fear.

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122 views2 pages

Understanding Catharsis in Tragedy

Catharsis, derived from the Greek word 'Kathaireen', refers to the cleansing of emotions and is discussed in Aristotle's 'Poetics'. It encompasses three meanings: purgation, purification, and clarification, with various interpretations by critics over time, including medical metaphors and psychological explanations. The function of catharsis in tragedy is to provide emotional relief and intellectual clarification, allowing audiences to experience and learn from the emotions of pity and fear.

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subhajitpaul90644
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Q.Write a note on catharsis.

(12)
The word „Catharsis‟ is used by Aristotle in his book „Poetics’. The
word is taken from the Greek word „Kathaireen‟ that means “to
cleanse”. In the Greek language it has three meanings: Purgation,
Purification and Clarification. In the age of Aristotle the word
„Catharsis‟ is used in the medical sense. But in the 18th century the
term meant “ softening of the emotions of pity and fear.”The term
catharsis occurs in the Aristotle‟s definition of tragedy.

Purgation:- According to some Renaissance critics and later


critics “Catharsis is a medical metaphor.” In medical terms
purgation means the removal of excess „humours‟. Catharsis has been
taken to a medical metaphor, „ purgation‟ denoting a pathological
effect on the body.
“Catharsis is a kind of Homeophatic
treatment.”
By some time critics like Barney has been compared to Homeophatic
treatment with „like curing the like‟. Some critics like Herbert Reed
says that:
“The theatre is not a hospital.”

Purification:- Humphrey House rejects the idea of Purgation in


the medical sense. He is the most forceful advocate of the
„Purification‟. It is a Purification of the excess and defect in our
emotions. Buther too, agrees with the purification theory.

Clarification:- According to the Doctrine catharsis means „the


clarification of the essential and universal significance of the
events and situation’ depicted in a tragedy. Some critics have
emphasized the clarification theory of catharsis. Catharsis is a
process of learning and therefore pleasureable.
Psychological Interpretation:- Some critics have tried to
give a psychological explanation to the term „Catharsis.‟ Tragedy
gives a free outlet to the emotions of pity & fear. The result is a
feeling of emotional relief. This is quite closely related to the
purgation theory. Aristotle had used the term catharsis purely in its
medical sense usually referring to the evacuation of the Katamenia.
Here, however he employs it as a medical metaphor.

Function of Catharsis: Dramatic uses:- According to


G.F Else, the conventional and the most prevalent explanation of
catharsis as „Purgation‟ and „Cleansing‟ does not have a basis in
poetics. An authorative version of poetics by D.W. Lucas thoroughly
covered, in an appendix dedicated to “pity, fear & catharsis.”
To conclude, Lucas identifies that
there is a chance that catharsis may have some aspect of meanings
„purgation‟ and „purification‟. The most recent interpretation of the
term catharsis is „intellectual clarification.‟

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