What is the primary purpose of catharsis in classical tragedy?

• A. To entertain the audience with lighthearted plot and humor.
• B. To reveal the author's personal opinions about society.
• C. To purify and purge the audience's emotions through pity and fear, resulting in a sense of emotional release.
• D. To provide a moral instruction at the end.

Answer: (C)

Catharsis means the audience experiences an emotional cleansing through witnessing pity and fear in the tragedy. As you watch the protagonist’s misfortune and downfall, you’re drawn into their suffering and feel fear for the fragility of human life. When the plot resolves, that built-up tension is released, leaving you with a sense of emotional renewal or balance. The point isn’t just entertainment or a platform for the author’s opinions, and it isn’t primarily about delivering a moral lecture; it’s about the transformative emotional release that tragedy aims to produce.