Electra by Sophocles Lesson Plan

Catharsis

Kind of Activity:

Group Work

Objective:

Students will research the role that catharsis plays in the construction of Greek tragedies.

Structure:

One of the central features of Greek tragedies is the notion of inducing catharsis: creating a plot and setting so brutal and tragic that the audience experiences a sort of emotional release. For this activity, in small groups, students will research more extensively how Ancient Greek playwrights went about achieving catharsis. Students are encouraged to perform their own research, but providing the following as a jumping-off point can help start groups in the right direction:

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