Etymology of Catharsis
The term “catharsis” has its roots in ancient Greek philosophy. In Grecian, it is katharsis, means “purification” or “cleansing.” Aristotle, who used it to describe the emotional release experienced by an audience when watching a tragedy, introduced it in literature. In his opinion, it is a kind of purging or cleansing of emotions, providing relief to the audience.
Meaning of Literary Device of Catharsis
The literal meanings of catharsis refer to a process of purification or cleansing.
- In medical contexts, catharsis refers to the process of purging the body of harmful substances or toxins, typically through the use of laxatives or other treatments.
- In psychological contexts, catharsis refers to the process of releasing pent-up emotions or tensions, often through the use of therapy or other forms of self-expression.
- In literary and artistic contexts, catharsis describes the emotional release or sense of clarity an audience experiences when engaged in watching a tragedy.
Definition of Catharsis
Catharsis is a literary device that refers to the emotional release or sense of purging that an audience experiences when engaged in watching a tragedy. This release is often achieved through the use of strong emotions such as fear, pity, or sorrow. In other words, it refers to the emotional release a character or audience experiences.
Types of Catharsis
There are different types of catharsis in literature, including:
| Type of Catharsis | Definition | Example from Literature |
| Tragic catharsis | This emotional release the audience experiences at the end of a tragic play that brings them relief. | The audience feels a catharsis after witnessing the downfall of the tragic hero in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. |
| Comic catharsis | This release of tension or stress through laughter or humor is often associated with comedy. | The audience experiences it through laughter while reading Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. |
| Romantic catharsis | This emotional release is experienced when the romantic tension between two characters is resolved. | Readers feel catharsis when the star-crossed lovers find their happy ending in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. |
| Political catharsis | This emotional release results from literature or art addressing significant political or social issues. | Readers experience catharsis when a dystopian novel like George Orwell’s 1984 offers hope for social change. |
Common Examples of Catharsis
- Crying after a stressful day
- Venting to a friend
- Physical exercise
- Journaling or writing
- Scream therapy
- Creating art
- Watching emotional movies or listening to music
- Participating in support groups
Keep it in mind that it is a personal and subjective experience. What may be cathartic for one person may not necessarily be the same for another. It is important to find healthy and constructive outlets that work for you individually.
Literary Examples of Catharsis
Here are a few examples in plays starting from Oedipus by Sophocles.
- Oedipus Rex by Sophocles: In the play, Oedipus Rex experiences catharsis when he finally realizes that he has unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother. He blinds himself and exiles himself from the city in order to atone for his sins. The following quote highlights his realization and emotional release:
“Ah, God! It was true! All the prophecies! Now, O light, may I look on you for the last time! I, Oedipus, Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed!” (Scene IV, Lines 1118-1124)
- A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen: In the play, the character of Nora experiences catharsis when she realizes that she has been living in a facade of a marriage and decides to leave her husband in order to find her own identity. The following quote highlights her emotional release and newfound sense of agency:
“I believe that before anything else I’m a human being — just as much as you are… or at any rate I shall try to become one. I know quite well that most people would agree with you, Torvald, and that you have warrant for it in books; but I can’t be satisfied any longer with what most people say, and with what’s in books. I must think things out for myself and try to understand them.” (Act 3)
- Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller: In the play, the character of Willy experiences catharsis when he finally accepts his failures and decides to commit suicide in order to provide for his family through his life insurance. The following quote highlights his realization and emotional release:
“Willy: I’ve got to get some seeds, right away. Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground.
Charley: What did you plant?
Willy: You understand me? Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground.” (Act II)
Suggested Readings
- Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by Malcolm Heath, Penguin Classics, 1996.
- Booth, Wayne C. The Rhetoric of Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1983.
- Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. 3rd ed., University of Minnesota Press, 2008.
- Freud, Sigmund. The Interpretation of Dreams. Translated by James Strachey, Oxford University Press, 1999.
- Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale University Press, 2000.
- Iser, Wolfgang. The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1978.
