Translated from the Greek word "catharsis" means purification, liberation, elevation.The concept of catharsis is very important for the world of culture, art and philosophy, but at different times in different directions thinkers differently understood catharsis, the meaning has changed.The main contribution to the development of this concept have the philosophers of antiquity and the Enlightenment, and then it was taken up by psychologists.
Antiquity: it all began
The very concept appears, most likely in the works of Aristotle.According to ancient ideas, catharsis - a pleasure that a person gets from watching a tragedy.The ancient Greek philosopher introduces a concept describing the impact of the tragedy on the audience.Tragical fun - it's fun, which are sources of compassion and fear, that is painful feelings.How can they deliver pleasant person?
The fact that the audience sympathizes with the hero of the tragedy, and compassion - a mechanism that shows or strengthen links between people, showing their common nature.When a person experiences the compassion he feels his unity with other people: all are able to experience these feelings and states, and thus are able to understand each other.
meaning of the word "catharsis" in the Enlightenment
That is catharsis actively speculated by many philosophers and aesthetics of the XVIII century.Much attention was paid to this subject a French poet and playwright Pierre Corneille.He saw the essence of tragic purification follows.Tragedy shows the accident deeply suffering character, and the audience sympathizes with him.Thus the viewer experiences fear: all the ills that overtake the hero of the tragedy and any other person in general, can happen to anyone, including themselves spectator.Fear leads him to a desire to avoid a similar disaster.You need to get rid of what has led to the collapse of the hero of the tragedy and the suffering - from the huge uncontrolled passions - anger, envy, ambition, hatred.There catharsis - is freedom from the passions that lead to unhappiness, or cleansing, and the curbing of submission to the demands of reason.
Parallel to this understanding of catharsis develop other, hedonistic.According to him, catharsis - is the ultimate aesthetic experience, which is perceived directly for the sake of pleasure.
catharsis in psychology
This unusual able to explore not only the philosophy but psychology.Sigmund Freud introduced his patients into a hypnotic state in which they relive past personal stress and pathogenic affects that resulted in trauma, but now - followed by an appropriate response.In the science of catharsis - it is also one of the methods of psychotherapy that aims to clear the mind from the hidden depths of conflict and alleviate the suffering of patients.
So catharsis - a tragic cleansing under the influence of strong negative emotions - such as fear or compassion.It leads to the elimination or harmonization of affects.
