Catharsis and the P’s

In our limited edition, long narrative of life, we’re sure to have had many moments where we felt something ardently that which we did not directly experience. Pull up some movies, we cry. Listen to songs and we occupy another state of mind. Have you ever wondered what that specific process was like and tried to make sense of it? I did and it brought me all the way to Catharsis.

Purgation

Catharsis was once exclusive to medical science, the word solely treated and used in a medical sense. “Katharsis” then meant a ‘purgation’ or ‘cleansing’ of illness in Greek. This is rightaway the literal sense. If a person is ill, that person slowly gets healed via the removal or expelling of harmful, toxic substances from the body (cleansing). Medicine thus becomes cathartic in that it cleanses and generates relief and balance to the body. The Hippocratic school of medicine (founded by physician Hippocrates who is referred to as the “Father of Medicine”) utilised this physiological, physical plane of meaning extensively, thereby setting the tone for ‘Catharsis’ to those who would later seek it out.

Poetics

We are still in Ancient Greece and now Aristotle has written Poetics, a crucial foundational work to literature, literary theory, poetry, drama, and all that jazz. It is here that a definition of Catharsis was attempted to be framed. Aristotle, though, elevated the meaning as he did not take it literally and instead took a metaphorical turn.

One of the main topics discussed in Poetics is that of Greek tragedy or tragic drama/theatre. For Aristotle, Catharsis is part of the experience of the larger tragic drama. The Aristotelian catharsis takes on a mental, emotional, intellectual plane. If you watch a tragic film, you feel intense sadness. It is as if by subjecting yourself to experience what the filmic character goes through, you get to release the weight of your own burden or worry, even if it’s for a short period of time. Rather simply, what Aristotle talks about tragedy in Poetics is this.

Purification

In this manner, through Catharsis, artistic presentation purifies as well as intellectually clarifies the soul. Whether it be a song, a painting, or a film, catharsis leaves us feeling somewhat satisfied. It explores our fears, anxieties, pity, sadness, etc. and focuses it towards something that lies outside us so that we get to feel someone else’s pain or horror without things actually changing for us. After watching a film, our reality is still the same.

Purging vs Purifying

Purging means to simply get rid whereas purifying means to get rid of bad substances

Pleasure

Many critics of literary theory have different interpretations regarding the exact meaning of Aristotle’s catharsis. At the end of the day, one thing is certain that there is a level of enjoyment and pleasure involved with the cathartic process. We are spectators and we are always spectators in front of a work of art.

Aristotle says catharsis is the telos (goal) of tragedy.

Psychology

The final P; Catharsis comes into discussion once again due to Psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud conceptualised the term as an emotional release of paralysing effects that occur post trauma or other negative memories. He believed that bringing buried trauma to light could help people achieve catharsis.

The universality of catharsis and its purging properties, make it a significant process of healing and achieving balance.