Catharsis
According to Aristotle, the emotional cleansing or release experienced by an audience witnessing tragic events. Through pity and fear aroused by a protagonist's downfall, audiences experience emotional purification and insight into human nature.
Real World
When audiences leave a performance of 'King Lear' feeling emotionally drained yet strangely lighter, they have experienced catharsis — the same release researchers at the University of Oxford found in a 2016 study showing that watching tragedy increases endorphin levels and social bonding.
Exam Focus
Link catharsis to the audience's experience, not just the character's suffering — examiners reward awareness of reader response.
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