Every Great Story’s Secret Weapon — Catharsis Explained

Summary

The video script explores the concept of catharsis in storytelling, a narrative technique that purifies or purges emotions, often associated with tragedy. Drawing from Aristotle's 'Poetics', it explains the four types of catharsis in tragedy and their effectiveness. The script then broadens to include catharsis in various story endings, emphasizing the importance of setup and payoff, character arcs, and emotional stakes. It concludes by highlighting the power of catharsis to evoke deep emotional responses and influence audience perception.

Takeaways

• 😌 Catharsis is the emotional release or purging that typically follows a narrative's climax, often associated with a work of art.
• 📚 The term 'catharsis' originates from the Greek word 'kathairen', meaning to cleanse or purge, and was popularized by Aristotle in 'Poetics'.
• 🎭 Aristotle examined catharsis in the context of tragedies, suggesting that it helps expel negative emotions, leaving the audience feeling happier.
• 🎬 Catharsis can be subjective and vary in effectiveness from person to person, depending on their emotional connection to the story.
• 🔍 In tragedies, Aristotle outlines four ways to create catharsis, categorized by whether the character acts knowingly or unknowingly and if the action is completed or stopped.
• 🏆 Aristotle considered the scenario where a character unknowingly and stops their action to have the highest cathartic potential, as it allows for reflection.
• 🌟 Narrative catharsis today is understood to involve the release of emotions at the end of any story type, not just tragedies.
• 💡 Crafting catharsis involves setting up emotional tension throughout the narrative and delivering a payoff that resolves this tension, providing closure.
• 🔑 High stakes are crucial for catharsis, as they make the audience understand why the outcome of the story matters deeply.
• 🛠️ Character arcs, particularly positive ones for triumphs and negative ones for tragedies, can significantly contribute to the cathartic experience.
• 🎉 Emphasizing a character's reaction to the cathartic event can enhance the audience's emotional response, making catharsis more impactful.

Q & A

What is the concept of catharsis in storytelling?

Catharsis in storytelling refers to the emotional release or response that audiences experience at the end of a narrative, often associated with a sense of purification or purging of emotions.

Where does the term 'catharsis' originate from?

The term 'catharsis' comes from the Greek word 'kathairen', meaning to cleanse or purge, and was popularized by the Greek philosopher Aristotle in his work 'Poetics'.

How did Aristotle define catharsis in the context of tragedies?

Aristotle defined catharsis as the expulsion of negative emotions, such as fear and pity, through the imitation of actions in tragedies, which would leave the audience feeling happier.

What are the four ways Aristotle outlines to create catharsis in a tragedy?

Aristotle outlines four ways to create catharsis in a tragedy using two axes: knowingly and unknowingly, and completed or stopped at the final moment. The quadrants include knowingly and stopped, knowingly and completed, unknowingly and completed, and unknowingly and stopped.

Why does Aristotle consider the 'unknowingly and stopped' scenario as having the highest cathartic potential?

In the 'unknowingly and stopped' scenario, a character doesn't realize they're about to cause harm but stops themselves, leaving room for reflection on their actions, which according to Aristotle, has the highest cathartic potential.

How can catharsis be achieved in narratives outside of tragedy?

Catharsis can be achieved in narratives outside of tragedy by resolving the primary tension of the story, whether through overcoming an obstacle or experiencing a tragic event, and by creating a strong emotional connection with the audience.

What is the importance of character arcs in creating catharsis?

Character arcs are important in creating catharsis because they show the emotional journey of characters, which can lead to a positive or negative transformation that contributes to the emotional impact of the story's resolution.

How do stakes contribute to the cathartic effect in a story?

Stakes contribute to the cathartic effect by establishing the importance of the triumph or tragedy in the story, making the audience emotionally invested in the outcome.

What role does the setup play in creating catharsis?

The setup in a story is crucial for creating catharsis as it builds the emotions in the audience that are eventually released at the end. It sets the stage for the payoff, which provides a sense of closure.

Can you provide an example of a cathartic moment in a film?

An example of a cathartic moment in a film is the reunion of Jamal and Latika in 'Slumdog Millionaire', which represents the culmination of their emotional journey and provides a sense of emotional release for the audience.

How does the script suggest enhancing the cathartic experience for the audience?

The script suggests enhancing the cathartic experience by crafting a compelling setup and payoff, emphasizing character arcs, ensuring high stakes, and showing how characters are moved by the cathartic event.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 The Essence of Catharsis in Storytelling

This paragraph introduces the concept of catharsis, a narrative experience that provides emotional release or purification. It explains the term's origin from the Greek word 'kathairen' and its popularization by Aristotle in 'Poetics'. Catharsis is explored in the context of tragedies, where it is seen as a way to expel negative emotions, leaving the audience feeling happier. The paragraph also touches on the subjectivity of catharsis and its evolution beyond tragedies to include various story endings. It concludes with a brief mention of traditional and modern contexts of catharsis in narratives.

05:06

🎬 Aristotle's Framework for Tragic Catharsis

This paragraph delves into Aristotle's theories on creating catharsis in tragedies through four distinct scenarios based on the character's knowledge and the action's completion. It discusses the least effective scenario where a character knowingly stops an action, using 'The Searchers' as an example. It then describes the more impactful scenarios: knowingly completing an action, as seen in 'Se7en', and unknowingly completing an action, exemplified by 'Oldboy'. Lastly, it highlights the highest cathartic potential in scenarios where a character unknowingly stops an action, as depicted in 'Batman v Superman'. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of these scenarios in eliciting audience emotions.

10:07

🏆 Crafting Catharsis: Triumphs and Resolutions

This paragraph explores the creation of catharsis in narratives beyond traditional tragedies, focusing on the resolution of primary tension and the emotional impact of story endings. It discusses the importance of setup and payoff in crafting catharsis, using 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'Titanic' as examples of stories with clear setups leading to cathartic payoffs. The paragraph also examines the role of stakes, character arcs, and character reactions in achieving catharsis, providing examples from 'When Harry Met Sally', 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'Gladiator', 'Blade Runner', and 'Schindler's List' to illustrate how these elements contribute to the emotional resonance of a story.

15:09

📝 Writing for Catharsis: Tips and Techniques

The final paragraph offers writing tips for crafting catharsis in a narrative. It emphasizes the importance of the setup, which involves building audience emotions throughout the story, and the payoff, which provides closure, either through overcoming obstacles or experiencing tragedy. The paragraph discusses the significance of high stakes, character arcs, and character reactions in evoking catharsis. It uses 'Rocky', 'Macbeth', 'Miracle', and 'Good Will Hunting' to illustrate how these elements can lead to emotional cleansing for both characters and the audience. The paragraph concludes with a reminder of the power of catharsis in storytelling and a call to action for writers to make their audience feel something profound.

Keywords

💡Catharsis

Catharsis is a term derived from the Greek word 'kathairen', meaning to cleanse or purge. In the context of the video, it refers to the emotional release or purification that audiences experience through a narrative, particularly in response to a work of art. The video discusses how catharsis is central to storytelling, as it provides a sense of emotional resolution or relief. For example, the script mentions that Aristotle considered catharsis an important aspect of tragedies, which aroused emotions like fear and pity, ultimately leading to a purging of these negative emotions.

💡Narrative

A narrative is a story or account of events or experiences, often arranged in a logical sequence. In the video, the narrative is the structure through which catharsis is achieved. The script explains that the narrative build-up, or 'inhale', leads to the climactic moment, while the resolution or 'exhale' provides the cathartic release. Narrative catharsis is depicted as a universal experience, not limited to tragedies but applicable to various story endings, including those in films like 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

💡Climax

The climax of a story is the turning point at which the conflict reaches its peak and is resolved. In the video, the climax is likened to the 'inhale' in storytelling, where the tension and anticipation are at their highest. The script suggests that the build-up to the climax is crucial for creating the emotional intensity necessary for catharsis. An example given is the meeting of Sam and Annie in 'Sleepless in Seattle', which serves as a climactic and cathartic moment.

💡Emotional Release

Emotional release refers to the experience of letting go of strong emotions, often as a result of a narrative's resolution. The video emphasizes that catharsis is fundamentally about this release of emotions, which can be achieved through various narrative techniques. The script illustrates this with the example of the film 'Se7en', where the character Mills knowingly commits an act with severe consequences, leading to a profound emotional release for the audience.

💡Tragedy

Tragedy is a genre of drama that typically involves a serious and sad theme, often ending in the downfall of the main character. In the video, tragedy is discussed as a traditional context for catharsis, where Aristotle's 'Poetics' is mentioned as a seminal work that popularized the concept. The script explains that in tragedies, the plot must imitate actions arousing fear and pity, leading to the expulsion of negative emotions and a sense of catharsis.

💡Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who made significant contributions to various fields, including aesthetics and drama. In the video, he is credited with popularizing the concept of catharsis in his work 'Poetics'. The script discusses how Aristotle examined catharsis in the context of tragedies and outlined ways to create it, such as through characters acting knowingly or unknowingly and the completion or stopping of actions at the final moment.

💡Character Arc

A character arc refers to the development or transformation of a character throughout a narrative. In the video, character arcs are highlighted as a means to create catharsis. For triumphs, a positive character arc, like Rocky's resilience in 'Rocky', can lead to an emotionally satisfying catharsis. Conversely, a negative character arc, as seen in 'Macbeth', can result in a tragic catharsis due to the character's downfall.

💡Stakes

Stakes in a narrative refer to the importance or value at risk, which heightens the tension and emotional investment of the audience. The video explains that for catharsis to be effective, the stakes must be clear and significant. Examples from the script include the life-or-death scenarios in tragedies or the emotional struggles in stories like 'When Harry Met Sally', where the tension revolves around the characters' inability to move beyond friendship.

💡Setup and Payoff

Setup and payoff are narrative techniques where the setup is the initial part of the story that builds towards the payoff, which is the resolution or climax. In the video, these terms are used to describe how catharsis is crafted in storytelling. The script provides the example of 'Sleepless in Seattle', where the setup involves the protagonists not directly interacting, building anticipation for their eventual connection, which serves as the cathartic payoff.

💡Emotional Cleansing

Emotional cleansing is the process of purging or releasing pent-up emotions, often through cathartic experiences. The video suggests that catharsis can inspire emotional cleansing in both characters and the audience. An example from the script is the breakdown of Will in 'Good Will Hunting', which is cathartic for him and potentially for the audience, as it leads to a moment of emotional release and understanding.

Highlights

Catharsis is the purification or purging of emotions typically associated with a work of art.

Aristotle popularized the term catharsis in his work 'Poetics', primarily examining it in the context of tragedies.

Catharsis aims to expel negative emotions, leaving the audience feeling happier.

Catharsis is subjective and can vary in its emotional impact from person to person.

Narrative catharsis is understood as the release of emotions at the end of any type of story.

Aristotle outlines four ways to create catharsis in tragedy, categorized by character knowledge and action completion.

The least effective catharsis occurs when a character knowingly stops their action, seen as an idle threat.

When a character knowingly completes an action despite knowing it's wrong, it can elicit catharsis.

Unknowingly completed actions can lead to a strong sense of pity, a key component of catharsis.

The highest cathartic potential comes from unknowingly stopped actions, allowing for character reflection.

Catharsis can also be found in moments of triumph, not just in tragic endings.

Happy endings can be cathartic when they resolve the primary tension of the narrative.

Catharsis relies on the setup and payoff within a narrative, building emotions for eventual release.

Stakes are crucial for catharsis; the audience must understand why the outcome matters.

Character arcs, both positive and negative, contribute to the creation of catharsis.

Catharsis can be emphasized by showing how characters are emotionally moved by the event.

A character's reaction can complicate the catharsis, adding layers to the audience's emotional response.

Catharsis is a powerful storytelling tool that can prompt different emotional responses in everyday life.

Crafting catharsis involves careful consideration of narrative structure, character development, and emotional stakes.

Transcripts

- Relax. Take a deep breath.

- A deep breath in is followed by a breath out.

In storytelling, the inhale is the build-up to the ultimate climax.

- Great shot, kid. That was one in a million.

- And the exhale is the catharsis.

- Why is this distinct narrative experience so important?

And how can a writer achieve it?

This is 'What Is Catharsis'?

Before we get our sense of release, subscribe to StudioBinder and

click the bell to stay updated on all our filmmaking videos.

Tragically, we will be spoiling the following movies.

Time to inhale.

Catharsis is the purification or purging of emotions typically

associated with a work of art.

It comes from the Greek word 'kathairen', which means to cleanse or purge.

The term was popularized by the Greek philosopher Aristotle,

in his seminal work, 'Poetics'.

The philosopher primarily examined to catharsis in the context of

tragedies, where the plot must imitate actions arousing fear and pity.

To Aristotle, this expulsion of negative emotions brought on by catharsis would

leave the audience feeling happier.

- I look forward to a good cry.

Feels pretty good.

- This, argued the philosopher, is why tragedies were both important for

society and popular among audiences.

Of course, catharsis is subjective.

An ending may be extremely cathartic for one person and completely

emotionless for someone else.

- I did not care for 'The Godfather'. - What?

- Did not care for the Godfather.

- How can you even say that, Dad?

- In this video, however, we'll focus on catharsis in narratives.

Today, narrative catharsis is widely understood as the release

of emotions or emotional response to the end of any type of story.

Not just tragedy.

Think of Sam and Annie finally meeting in 'Sleepless in Seattle'.

Or the emotional reunion of Jamal and Latika in 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

But first, let's look at catharsis in its traditional context.

Tragedy.

Aristotle outlines four ways that catharsis can be created in a tragedy.

He utilizes two axes, knowingly and unknowingly, and completed

or stopped at the final moment.

The philosopher argues that some of these four quadrants are better

than others at eliciting catharsis.

The least effective, he argues, is when a character is acting knowingly and stops.

In other words, the character is fully aware of their

actions and the consequences.

But they end up not going through with it.

According to Aristotle, this is an idle threat and the audience reads it as such.

- These are my people.

Go. Go, Martin, please.

- Stand aside, Martin.

- In 'The Searchers', Ethan would rather kill his own niece Debbie

than see her living as a Comanche.

- What do you mean you don't have any blood, kid?

But Debbie's your bride, Ken.

- Not no more, she ain't.

- Well, you can keep your will.

- He pursues this murderous task.

But at the last minute, he stops himself.

The tragedy is avoided.

And the audience might feel relieved.

- Let's go home, Debbie.

- But this turn of events leaves little room for real catharsis.

Next is knowingly and completed.

When a character knows what they are doing is wrong, but they do it anyway.

- I took a souvenir.

Her pretty head.

- This can be found in 'Se7en'.

Where Somerset tells Mills that he shouldn't shoot John Doe.

- Give me the gun, David.

If you kill him,

he will win.

- But Mills does it anyway.

- This brings us to Aristotle's second-best option.

Unknowingly and completed.

In this scenario, a character sees through an action.

You know.

Unaware of the consequences.

Until it's too late.

- 'Oldboy' utilizes this option.

Dae-su falls in love with a woman.

Only to later find out that she is, in fact, his daughter.

A cruel twist of fate.

And part of an even crueler act of revenge.

We are strongly encouraged to pity Dae-su.

Which is the exact goal of true catharsis.

And finally, there is unknowingly and stopped.

Where a character doesn't realize they're about to cause

harm but they stop themselves.

According to Aristotle, this ending has the highest cathartic potential.

Because it leaves room for a character to reflect on what they were about to do.

In 'Batman v Superman', the climactic fight between the two heroes is

about to reach a fatal conclusion.

But Superman's final plea breaks through Batman's rage.

- You're letting him kill Martha.

- The evocation of his mother's name sends up strong painful memories.

And when he learns the truth Batman yields.

- Please, stop.

- Why did you say that name?

- It's his mother's name.

It's his mother's name.

- He realizes they share a common enemy and joins forces to end

the real threat to humanity.

All four Catharsis types can be powerful.

It all depends on the story you want to tell.

Of course, catharsis doesn't only come from doubt endings.

It can also be found in moments of triumph.

Most mainstream films have relatively happy endings.

The key to making these happy endings cathartic lies in resolving the

primary tension of the narrative.

- After careful consideration, I've decided not to endorse your park.

- So have I.

- The source of this tension may be obvious.

As it is in, 'When Harry Met Sally'.

- We are just going to be friends, okay?

- Great, friends. It's the best thing.

- The tension in the film is that Harry and Sally are never able to figure out how to

move their relationship past friendship.

- Oh, I think it's great that you have a date.

- You do? - Yeah.

- And so the catharsis comes when they finally do that.

- What does this song mean?

My whole life, I don't know what this song means.

- Anyway, it's about old friends.

- But sometimes the resolution is less expected.

- Why'd you do it? - I didn't, since you asked.

- You gonna fit right in.

- In 'The Shawshank Redemption', Andy spends most of the film trying to escape prison.

So one might think the main source of catharsis would be when he's finally free.

But the true cathartic moment is when he and Red reunite.

It is their friendship that truly powers the narrative.

And thus, catharsis must be rooted in that relationship.

Catharsis can also turn potentially tragic endings into triumphant ones.

In 'Gladiator', Maximus is killed.

But the film signals that he has finally achieved peace.

He is reunited with his wife and son and the reforms he

has fought for may be enacted.

Similarly, a lack of catharsis can make the audience question if the

ending is, in fact, triumphant.

In 'Blade Runner', Deckard's mission is to retire the replicant Roy Batty.

He achieves this goal, but Batty's emotional monologue deflates any

victorious catharsis and instead suggests this ending may, in fact, be tragic.

- All those

moments will be lost in time

like tears in rain.

- As 'Blade Runner' illustrates, the use of catharsis can color how an

audience interprets what preceded it.

Let's look at how you can craft your own catharsis with some writing tips.

Of course, there is no one way to create catharsis.

But in the simplest terms, catharsis is made up of two parts.

The setup and the payoff.

The setup for catharsis is the vast majority of a narrative.

It builds the emotions in the audience that are eventually released at the end.

'Sleepless in Seattle' has a very clear setup device.

Its two protagonists never directly interact for most of the film's runtime.

But the audience sees they are perfect for each other.

This makes their connection at the end of the film all the more cathartic.

An effective payoff, meanwhile, must build on the setup, giving

the story a sense of closure.

As we've seen, this is either through overcoming an obstacle

or being stricken by tragedy.

In 'Titanic', James Cameron delivers a multi-pronged catharsis that manages

to have both tragedy and triumph.

Jack and Rose overcome the odds stacked against them to become lovers.

But the victory is fleeting.

And the tragedy subsequently strikes.

A catharsis also relies on stakes.

For the audience to be moved emotionally, it needs to know why

the triumph or tragedy matters.

- I suppose you've given some thought to the notion that if you lose, our government

will have directly financed terrorism.

- Triumphs often require great effort to achieve, against all odds.

True underdog stories.

In tragedies, the stakes are often life or death,

addiction, or lost love.

A character arc can also help create catharsis.

For triumphs, this is when a character has a positive arc.

Like 'Rocky' building the resilience to go 15 rounds with Creed.

We are moved by Rocky's hard-earned success.

For tragedies, this is typically when a character has a negative arc.

In 'Macbeth', the lust for power leads the title character

down a murderous path to ruin.

- Why did you bring these daggers from the place?

They must lie there, go carry them instead.

- I'll go no more. I'm afraid to think what I have done.

Look on it again, I dare not.

- Catharsis can also be emphasised by showing how a character is

moved by the cathartic event.

In 'Miracle', the triumphant victory is underscored by the

characters and crowd celebrating.

If we empathize with a character and they reach a moment of catharsis, it might

inspire our own emotional cleansing.

- It's not your fault.

- Don't f*ck with me, all right? Don't f*ck with me, Sean. Not you.

- It's not your fault.

- In 'Good Will Hunting', Will's breakdown with Sean is clearly cathartic for him.

And potentially for the audience as well.

But a character's reaction can also complicate a movie's catharsis.

In 'Schindler's List', Schindler succeeds in his mission to save many of his workers.

But his reaction reminds us that this small victory is nothing in comparison

to the exponentially larger tragedy.

- I could have got more out of it.

I could have got more.

Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are

alive because of you.

Look at them.

- You have no idea.

- There will be generations because of what you did.

- I didn't do enough.

- You did so much.

- The elements of an effective catharsis can feel ineffable.

Because a great catharsis is something greater than words.

Catharsis is a large part of what makes storytelling so powerful.

It can move us to feel emotions we may not typically feel.

- Now I'm gonna go back inside and finish watching 'Sleepless in Seattle'.

Nobody screw with me!

- And, as Aristotle argues, it can even prompt us to feel

differently in our everyday lives.

Catharsis begins in the screenplay.

Start writing with StudioBinder's pre-production tools, which include everything

from screenwriting to storyboard software.

Until next time, make your audience feel something.