Aristotles concept of Catharsis Introduction Catharsis is the emotional cleansing of the audience or characters in the play.

In relation to drama, it is an extreme change in emotion resulting from strong feelings of sorrow, fear, pity and laughter, this result has been described as purification or a purging of such emotions The concept Catharsis to refer to the emotions was first done by the ree! "hilosopher Aristotle in his wor! poetics. It refers to the sensation or literary effect that would ideally o#ercome either the characters in a play or an audience after finishing of watching a tragedy. The concept of Catharsis has been used for centuries as a medical term meaning purging. Aristotle has used the word $Catharsis in his definition of tragedy in order to explain the function and the emotional effects of tragedy. %e uses it while the end of tragedy as tragedy effects, through pity and fear, a Catharsis of such emotions.

Aristotles concept of Catharsis Aristotle writes that the function of tragedy is to arouse the emotions of pity and fear, and affect the Catharsis of these emotions. Tragedy is then a correcti#e, through watching a tragedy the audience learns how to feel there emotions at the proper le#els. &ome modern interests of the wor! infer that Catharsis is pleasurable. In literary aesthetics, Catharsis is de#eloped by the con'unction of stereotyped characters and uni(ue or surprising actions. Throughout a play we do not expect the nature of a characters to change significally.

)#ol#ed Theories *egarding Catharsis Aristotle has used the term or concept $Catharsis only once, but critics, and poets ha#e handled no phrase so fre(uently. Aristotle has not explained what exactly he meant by the word, nor do we get any help from the poetics. +or this reason, help and guidance has to be ta!en from his other wor!s. +urther, Critics ha#e e#ol#ed theories regarding Catharsis which they are, purification, purgation and clarification, and each critic ha#e used the word in one or the other senses. All agree that tragedy arouses fear and pity, but there are sharp differences as the process, the way by which the rousing of these emotions gi#es pleasure. -. "urification Theory. /. "urgation Theory. 0. Clarification Theory.

-. Purification Theory 1uring the *enaissance, another set of critics suggested that tragedy helped to harden or $temper the emotions spectators are hardened to the pitiable and fearful e#ents of life by witnessing them in tragedies. %umphrey %ouse re'ects the idea of $purgation and forcefully ad#ocates the $"urification theory, which in#ol#es moral conditioning. %e points out that purgation means cleaning. According to the purification theory catharsis implies that our emotions are purified of excess and defect, are reduced to intermediate state, they are trained and directed towards the right ob'ects at the pity, fear and similar emotions by witnessing tragedy. In the way, we are made #irtuous good. It is in this way that catharsis ser#es as a !ind of moral conditioning. The basic defect of purgation and purification theory is that they are too much occupied with the psychology of the audience. Aristotle was writing a treatise catharsis not to the spectators but to the incidents which form the plot of the tragedy and the result is the classification theory.

/. Purgation theory Catharsis has been ta!en as a medical metaphor, purgation. 1enoting a pathological effect on the soul similar to the effect of medicine on the body. This #iew is borne out by a passage in the politics where Aristotle refers to religious fren2y being cured by certain tunes, which excite religious fren2y. 3acob 4arneys pointed out that Catharsis was medical metaphor and meant purgation. 4y the act of excitement tragedy affords a pleasurable relief. In fact, the stage pro#ides a harmless and pleasurable outlet for instincts, which demand satisfaction. In the neo5classical era, Catharsis was ta!en to be an allopathic treatment with the unli!e curing unli!e the arousing of pity and fear was supposed to bring about the purgation or e#acuation of other emotions, li!e anger, pride etc. as Thomas Taylor holds we learn from the terrible fates of e#il men to a#oid the #ices they manifest. +.6. 6ucas re'ects the idea that Catharsis is a medical metaphor, and says that7 the theatre is not a hospital. 4oth 6ucas and %erbert *eed regard it as a !ind of safety #al#e. "ity and fear are aroused, we gi#e free play to these emotions which is followed by emotional relief. I.A. *ichards approach to the process is also psychological. +ear is the impulse to withdraw and pity is the impulse to approach. 4oth these impulses are harmoni2ed and blended in tragedy and this balance brings relief and repose.

The ethical interpretation is that the tragic process is !inds of lustration of the soul can inner illumination resulting in a more balanced attitude to life and its snuffing. Thus 3ohn assers says that a clear understanding of what was in#ol#ed in the struggle of cause and effect, a 'udgment on what we ha#e witnessed Can result in a state of mental e(uilibrium and rest, and can ensure complete aesthetic pleasure. Tragedy ma!es use reali2e that di#ine law operates in the uni#erse, shaping e#erything for the best.

4) Clarification Theory Catharsis means clarification of the essential and uni#ersal significance of the incidents depicted, leading to an enhanced understanding of the uni#ersal law which go#erns human life and destiny, and such an understanding leads to pleasure of tragedy. In this #iew, Catharsis is neither a medical, nor a religions or moral term, but intellectual term. The refers to the incidents depicted in the tragedy and way in which the poet re#eals their uni#ersal significance. Clarification theory has many moti#es first it is a techni(ue of the tragedy and not to the psychology of the audience secondly, the theory is based on what Aristotle has said in politics and ethics thirdly, it relates catharsis both to the theory A imitation and to the discussion of probability and necessity fourthly the theory is perfectly in accord with current aesthetic theories According to Aristotle the basic tragic emotions are pity and fear and painful. If tragedy is to gi#e pleasure the pity and fear must somehow be eliminated fear is aroused when we see someone suffering and thin! that similar fate might befall us. "ity is a feeling of pain caused by the sight of underser#ed suffering of others.

Conclusion To conclude, Aristotles conception of catharsis is mainly intellectual. It is neither didactic nor theoretical, though it may ha#e residual theological elements. Aristotles catharsis is not a moral doctrine re(uiring the tragic poet to show that bad men come to bad ends. It is howe#er significant to consider Aristotles concept of catharsis as a reply to "latos ob'ections. A tragedy is more probable and uni#ersal than history, therefore it is only by the communications of its own special insight and pro#ides the satisfaction. It is obtained by the structural unity, but it also pro#ides a safe outlet for disturbing passions, which it siphons off. Tragedy gi#es new !nowledge, fields aesthetic satisfaction and produces a better state of mind. 8arious theories e#ol#ed regarding Aristotles concept catharsis and each critic has produced different idea in his interpretation of catharsis and tragic pleasure by his own manner. 9et, catharsis is the purgation and purification of pity and fear and also some ather emotions.