On the Modern Artistic and Allegorical Reflection of Catharsis

Abstract

In ancient Greek mysteries and religious holidays, catharsis meant the liberation of the body from any harmful matter, the soul – from vices. Since the end of the 19th century, catharsis has been used in psychology as a concept expressing the process of individual or group emotional release. A modern, original reflection of the concept is found in the allegorical novel “Blindness” (1995) by Jose Saramago, thee Portuguese writer, Nobel-prize winner. In the “Blindness”, a city is struck by an inexplicable epidemic of unknown origin. Jose Saramago’s “Blindness” shows us the ruthless, brutal world of creatures that have lost their sight. These men (with the exception of one woman), along with the loss in sight, they also lose their spiritual vision. The symbolism of the novel explains the author’s intention: through liberation from vices, through catharsis, humans return to theis original state, divine essence.