Purgation or Purification. Violence in Post-Apocalyptic Television as Aristotle’s Catharsis
Purgation or Purification. Violence in Post-Apocalyptic Television as Aristotle’s Catharsis
Author(s): Christine M. RatzlaffSubject(s): Philosophy, Media studies, Aesthetics, Theory of Communication, Film / Cinema / Cinematography
Published by: Trivent Publishing
Keywords: Catharsis; Violence; Purgation; Purification; Post-Apocalypse;
Summary/Abstract: Aristotle offers us a way to deal with potential tragedy in our lives by viewing it through the process of catharsis, which releases our fears through either purgation or purification. After a detailed account of Aristotle’s catharsis, I demonstrate both functions by applying the theory to three post-apocalyptic television programs: The Walking Dead, The 100, and Zoo, evaluating catharsis in the face of physical dangers, social threats, fear of the “other,” and fear of advancing technology, among other concerns. I also evaluate whether these programs simply normalize violence for the viewing audience.
Journal: The Philosophical Journal of Conflict and Violence
- Issue Year: 4/2020
- Issue No: 2
- Page Range: 115-133
- Page Count: 19
- Language: English