Purgation or Purification: Violence in Post-Apocalyptic Television as Aristotle’s Catharsis

Abstract

Aristotle offers us a way to deal with potential tragedy in our lives by viewing it through the process of catharsis, which releases our fears through either purgation or purification. After a detailed account of Aristotle’s catharsis, I demonstrate both functions by applying the theory to three post-apocalyptic television programs: The Walking Dead, The 100, and Zoo, evaluating catharsis in the face of physical dangers, social threats, fear of the “other,” and fear of advancing technology, among other concerns. I also evaluate whether these programs simply normalize violence for the viewing audience.