Catharsis in Healing, Ritual, and Drama

What is catharsis? What are its effects and when does it occur? In this thoughtful study, Thomas Scheff defines catharsis clearly as a process that is signaled by certain kinds of laughing, crying, and analogous responses reflecting anger and fear. The main concept, which provides a thread throughout the entire book, is that of distancing, the balance between being a participant and an observer in the thoughts and feelings that bring on catharsis. At optimal distance, the person has double ...