Catharsis

Takeaways

• It is associated with tragedy but not limited to it.
• Release depends on prior accumulation.
• Cheap catharsis asks for feeling the story has not earned.

Overview

Catharsis names the purgation, clarification, or release of emotion produced by art, especially through pity, fear, recognition, and consequence. It is an effect of structure on feeling.

Examples

• A tragic recognition lets grief and understanding arrive together.
• A final act of mercy releases tension the plot has held for the whole book.