Catharsis in the Light of Aristotle’s Ethical Approach

Aristotle’s ethical approach is based on being good and the happiness which will be brought by being good since the main purpose of life is happiness (eudaimonia). Aristotle questions how to achieve the highest good and happiness in his ethics. However, the happiness in question is both individual and a social happiness. In this study, we will try to discuss Aristotle’s ethical approach; adding the field of creation (poiesis) to the field of action (praxis) where he positions this understanding, together with tragedia that embodies the feature of being individual and social and catharsis (purification) that emerges in result of this process. Our aim will be to question the role of catharsis on the way to reach the good and happy person that the ethics of Aristotle makes up on it