“A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself…with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions” (Aristotle’s Poetics). The Greek word “Catharsis” means cleansing or purging. In literature, authors like Aristotle use the word to describe an emotional discharge that one can achieve through a sense of renewal that comes along with a tragedy. An example would be when a loved one dies, the family chooses to spread the ashes in a significant place to feel a renewal of spirit. Despite the completely different plot lines, Catharsis is best exhibited in Night by Elie Wiesel and Antigone by Sophocles through their plot structures, for the sake of …show more content…
Occasionally, Wiesel depicts his failing relationship with his faith through his inner thoughts: “Where He is? This is where--hanging from this gallows…” (Wiesel 65). At times like this in the book, his character’s development makes the audience feel deep sorrow for him while he is in the concentration camps. A boy that once was so strong in his religion that he devoted his life to it, was now broken down to the point that he considered his God “hanging” in the “gallows” (65). The author’s choice of internal dialogue by making his thoughts about this topic to himself, furthermore, validates that he is keeping these thoughts bottled up and the readers feel the need to release it, but can’t. Finally, at the end of the memoir, Elie is safe in a hospital, but refers to himself as a “corpse” (115). This describes the toll that the camps has caused on him. At this point of the novel, the audience has been by Elie’s side and felt everything he has dealt with. Elie is damaged and broken from his experiences while the reader is mostly grateful and satisfied because even though it isn’t them, Elie isn't suffering anymore. Moreover, unlike the protagonist, the audience has no physical and mental deficits; however, still experienced the same feelings and feel an emotion